Patient gets acid for water

A thirsty patient was offered acid instead of water at a state-run hospital in West Bengal, but luckily he survived with severe internal burns, reports said on Wednesday.

A thirsty patient was offered acid instead of water at a state-run hospital in West Bengal, but luckily he survived with severe internal burns, reports said Wednesday.

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The 24-year-old patient at the State General Hospital in Howrah on the western outskirts of the city was receiving treatment for an injury on his right hand sustained in a quarrel with his family members.

Paramananda Hazra was admitted to the hospital's male surgical ward on Monday night and was administered two units of blood. On Tuesday morning, he woke up feeling thirsty. He asked a nurse for water to drink and was handed a bottle.

Hazra drank from the bottle and immediately cried out in pain. His cries drew the attention of the hospital employees who then discovered that the bottle from which the patient drank contained acid.

Hazra had sustained internal acid burns, the Bengali daily Bartaman said. In the afternoon when his family members came to see Hazra they were shocked to hear of the bizarre incident.