On a February evening in 1994, a young woman named Gloria was admitted to the ER suffering palpitations, nausea and fainting fits. What ensued was a chemical forensic detective story. After drawing blood, the nurse noticed that it appeared to contain crystals and smell of ammonia. Within minutes, several of the hospital staff had collapsed. A state of emergency was declared and the Hazardous Materials team – HAZMAT – was called in. As the hysteria snowballed, so did the casualties and the hospital car park was soon littered with unconscious bodies. What caused Gloria’s death? Equinox unravels the complex web of science, politics and vested interests surrounding the case.
On a February evening in 1994, a young woman named Gloria was admitted to the ER suffering palpitations, nausea and fainting fits. What ensued was a chemical forensic detective story. After drawing blood, the nurse noticed that it appeared to contain crystals and smell of ammonia. Within minutes, several of the hospital staff had collapsed. A state of emergency was declared and the Hazardous Materials team – HAZMAT – was called in. As the hysteria snowballed, so did the casualties and the hospital car park was soon littered with unconscious bodies. What caused Gloria’s death? Equinox unravels the complex web of science, politics and vested interests surrounding the case.
