Doctor who slipped into coma after tasting medicine 9 yrs ago

dies Kochi, Sep 12 (PTI) A 46-year-old Ayurvedic physician, whocollapsed and slipped into coma nine years ago after tasting amedicine he had prescribed for a patient, died at his house inPaipra near here today, his relatives said. Hailing from a very poor family, Dr P A Baiju had been incomma for nine years. The tragic incident occurred in January 2007 while Baijuwas serving as the Medical Officer at the Government AyurvedicDispensary at Bison Valley in Idukki district. He had prescribed a ‘kashaayam’ (Ayurvedic concoction) toa woman patient who approached him seeking treatment for someorthopaedic problem. The woman, who consumed the diluted medicine purchasedfrom a drug store, had fainted but survived. The woman’s family and friends informed about this to thedoctor. Baiju asked them to bring the medicine and to convincethem that it is harmless, he consumed the medicine followingwhich collapsed and slipped into comma. Hoping that he would recover his poor parents took him tovarious medical facilities but failed. His brother said a case is going on in a court in Idukkidistrict against the woman’s husband who was then charged withpoisoning his wife’s medicine with a highly potent pesticide. His body has been sent for autopsy at the Government TalukHospital, Muvattupuzha. PTI TGB RCSMJ