The AP (11/27) reports that "a fourth person
has died from eating a soup made with poisonous mushrooms earlier this month at
senior care facility in Northern California, authorities said Tuesday."
Local police authorities have identified the latest victim as 92 year-old
Dorothy Mary Hart. The article points out that "three others at the six-bed
Gold Age Villa care facility in Loomis died from eating the mushrooms in what
sheriff's investigators characterize as an accident." According to the AP,
"all of the victims were sickened Nov. 8, including the caretaker who made
the soup after picking mushrooms in the backyard of the facility."
California's Department of Social Services is currently investigating the
incident.
In its "L.A. Now" blog, the Los Angeles Times (11/28, Pool, 692K) notes
that "wild mushrooms are in season now, including poisonous North American
amanitas that resemble edible mushrooms that are popular in Asia. White with a
sprinkling of brown over the cap and known as the 'death cap,' the mushrooms
sicken hundreds each year in California." According to the blog,
"health officials say toxins in the mushrooms cause liver damage and can
lead to comas and, occasionally, death, especially with older people."
www.med-art.comThe Wall Street Journal (11/15, Esterl,
Subscription Publication, 2.08M) reports that the US Food and Drug
Administration on Wednesday acknowledged that it has received reports of 13
deaths during the last four years that may be related to the caffeinated energy
drink 5-Hour Energy, which is distributed by Living Essentials LLC. According
to the Journal, the FDA has said that there is no evidence so far linking the
drink to deaths or hospitalizations, but that the agency is continuing to
investigate the reports.
The New York Times (11/15, Meier, Subscription
Publication, 1.23M) reports that since 2009, "5-Hour Energy has been
mentioned in some 90 filings with the F.D.A., including more than 30 that
involved serious or life-threatening injuries like heart attacks, convulsions
and, in one case, a spontaneous abortion, a summary of F.D.A. records reviewed
by The New York Times showed." The Times mentions that this disclosure of
reports marks "the second time in recent weeks that F.D.A. filings citing
energy drinks and deaths have emerged." The FDA acknowledged last month
that it had received five fatality filings mentioning the energy drink Monster
Energy.
The Wall Street Journal (11/7, Gara, 2.08M) "Corporate
Intelligence" blog reports that the Master Forge Gas Grill, made by
Chinese firm Guang Vanward Electric and sold at Lowe's stores across the US, is
being recalled, according to a statement from the US Consumer Product Safety
Commission. As the blog post describes, the grill is being recalled over
concerns that, if improperly installed, the grill could pose a fire and burn
hazard. The grill's hose connecting the gas tank and regulator to the burner
control can touch the burner box and cause the hose to melt and rupture when
the grill is lit if it is not installed properly.
The Jackson (MS) Clarion Ledger (11/7, Moak, 61K)
"Consumer Watch" blog notes that "the four-burner Master Forge
Gas Grills were sold for about $270.00 from May 2011 through May 2012."
The blog post adds, "The CPSC recommends that owners should check the
grill to make sure that the gas hose runs along the outside of the grill
cabinet and passes through the round hole in the side panel."
WTVQ-TV Lexington, KY (11/7) reports that the
recall "involves Master Forge four-burner gas grills with a single-door
base. 'Master Forge' is written on the grill's hood. The model number GD4825 is
located on a label inside the door of the grill's base."
