If you try hard enough, all things are poisonous

Ofran Y, Lavi D, Opher D, Weiss TA, Elinav E. Fatal voluntary salt intake resulting in the highest ever documented sodium plasma level in adults (255 mmol L-1): a disorder linked to female gender and psychiatric disorders. J Intern Med. 2004 Dec;256(6):525-8. Review.

A 20-year-old woman suffering from postpartum depression reportedly drank six glasses of a 1 kg/L table salt solution as part of an exorcism ceremony to make her better. That's an absolutely brutal amount of salt. Tragically, the woman had just started taking fluoxetine (Prozac), but decided to try the exorcism approach as well. Fucking superstition.

For reference, a 'normal' sodium plasma level lies between 137 to 142 mmol/L (ref). Extreme salt poisoning primarily causes neurological symptoms including convulsions, fever, and unconsciousness. Death is usually due to cerebral edema.

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