Death from Attempted Abortion with a Potassium Permanganate Douche

Abstract

ALTHOUGH potassium permanganate is commonly employed as a disinfectant and deodorant and for local application in the treatment of dermatitis, fatal poisoning from its use is rare. As evidence of this, Green and Warr,1 in reviewing the literature from 1899–1941, were able to find only 8 fatal cases. On the other hand, these authors reported 31 cases in which potassium permanganate was ingested, none of which resulted fatally. Except in children, the poison was invariably swallowed with suicidal intent, since the intense blue color of even a very dilute solution tends to make disguise difficult.Within recent years, necrotizing injury . . .