Self-Administration of Salmonella Endotoxin

Abstract

To the Editor: The report (May 20 issue)1 of a middle-aged laboratory worker who self-administered a large dose of endotoxin, leading to the development of the septic shock syndrome, raises questions about the patient's subsequent care. The case report makes no mention of whether a psychiatric consultation was obtained before the patient was discharged or whether outpatient psychiatric care was arranged. In this patient, possible suicidal intent should be considered. People with autogenic illnesses often work, as this patient apparently did, in medical or laboratory surroundings. In a series of 32 cases of factitious fever and self-induced infection,2 the patients… © 1993, Massachusetts Medi..