Methanol Poisoning: A Report on 4 Cases in a Border State of North East India

Abstract

mass casualty which occurs after consumption of spurious liquor is usually called a 'hooch tragedy'. Methanol poisoning occurs very  frequently in India and causes large number of casualties known as hooch tragedies. Though it happens in almost every part of India, the  condition is being reported here as this is the first instance in a small border state in North East India without any precedence. Four people  died after consuming locally brewed liquor and were autopsied in the mortuary of a tertiary health care centre in North East India. History  revealed the typical symptoms of methanol poisoning and toxicological analysis confirmed the presence of methanol in the samples of  blood and tissues. The cases are being reported here to serve as an eye opener for the people who have not encountered a hooch tragedy in  this part of the country. Licensing of local brewery is absent in this small border state. Therefore, the quality control is almost nil which has  in fact led to the present tragedy. Public health measures need to include steps to curb this menace in the bud. Legal statutes need to be  strengthened regarding licensing, sale and trafficking of illicit liquor. Quality control is the need of the hour before it causes more deaths  and hooch tragedies become a routine affair in this region. Good will from both the Government and the people are necessary for this.