Reporter: Chen Gongzhang
Jiang Ming never expected that a bowl of herbal soup would bring a nightmare.
On the evening of November 29, in the Jiantou natural village of Songjia Village, Kangcuo Township, Fu’an City, Jiang Ming’s mother bought a bundle of herbs to make soup.
After drinking the soup, his mother, wife, and son began to show symptoms of poisoning and were urgently sent to Mindong Hospital. That night, Jiang Ming’s mother unfortunately passed away, and his wife is still in critical condition…
Local villagers suspect that the cause of poisoning for the three generations was the accidental consumption of ‘Breaking Intestines Grass’ (Duan Chang Cao).
Network image
Buying herbs by the roadside led to poisoning of three generations
This morning, the reporter contacted a villager, Mr. Jiang, who was aware of the situation. He said that there is a local custom of using herbs to make soup. Jiang Ming usually works outside and has two children (one boy and one girl), so only his mother, wife, and children were at home.
Mr. Jiang
It was heard that both Jiang Ming’s mother and wife had shoulder pain, and consuming this herbal soup could relieve the pain.
Yesterday, Jiang Ming’s mother encountered a person selling herbs by the roadside and bought a bundle from him. That night, she cooked the soup with pig bones, and since Jiang Ming’s daughter is very young, she did not eat any.
After 8 PM that night, Jiang Ming’s mother felt unwell and called her grandson (Jiang Ming’s son) to go buy some medicine;
When the 13-year-old grandson returned home with the medicine, he found that his grandmother was unresponsive, and upon entering the bedroom, he discovered his mother collapsed on the bed, unresponsive to calls, and immediately dialed a relative for help.
Subsequently, the three were urgently sent to Mindong Hospital. After unsuccessful resuscitation, Jiang Ming’s mother unfortunately passed away around 10 PM that night. Villagers claim that Jiang Ming’s family accidentally consumed Breaking Intestines Grass, and local police have intervened.
Wife still in critical condition; son discharged early to save costs
“It’s really tragic; his father died in a mining accident over twenty years ago, and now this has happened.” Mr. Jiang said that Jiang Ming rushed back from out of town that night, learned of his mother’s death, and that his wife and son were still in critical condition, and he collapsed immediately. As of today, Jiang Ming’s wife is still in the hospital, while his son has been discharged early.
Jiang Ming’s cousin said that the family is in a very difficult financial situation, mainly relying on Jiang Ming working outside to support them. This poisoning incident has already cost over hundred thousand yuan for the three’s medical expenses; to save money, the family decided to discharge Jiang Ming’s son early due to his milder symptoms. It is reported that villagers from several nearby villages have also started fundraising online after learning about this incident.
What exactly is Breaking Intestines Grass?
Medical staff in the emergency department of Mindong Hospital stated that the three individuals suffered from aconitine poisoning, which falls under the category of poisoning from traditional Chinese herbs. It was found that aconitine can stimulate the vagus nerve and damage peripheral nerves, leading to symptoms such as numbness of the mouth, tongue, and limbs, and a feeling of tightness throughout the body. Oral ingestion of pure aconitine at 0.2 mg can cause poisoning, and 3-5 mg can be fatal.
Many people know about Breaking Intestines Grass through films and television dramas. In “The Return of the Condor Heroes”, Yang Guo, who was poisoned by the love flower, was in a critical situation but survived after taking Breaking Intestines Grass, and then waited sixteen years to finally reunite with Xiaolongnu…
This is clearly a case of protagonist luck; ordinary people do not have such fortune. Legend has it that Shennong tasted hundreds of herbs and died after accidentally tasting Breaking Intestines Grass.
“In traditional Chinese medicine, there are many instances of different substances sharing the same name. In ancient times, people often referred to any herb that could cause severe gastrointestinal toxic reactions as Breaking Intestines Grass. According to available data, ‘Breaking Intestines Grass’ refers to at least ten or more types of medicinal materials or plants, rather than specifically one type of herb,” said researcher Hao Jin from the Chinese Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine.
The Breaking Intestines Grass mentioned here mainly grows in mountainous areas and often intertwines and mixes with other plants. Its root appearance is very similar to the medicinal material five-fingered peach (Wu Zhi Mao Tao), and its flowers are also similar to honeysuckle (Jin Yin Hua), making it easy to be mistaken for them.
What to do in case of accidental ingestion?1. Induce vomiting: This is the most common self-rescue method for food poisoning and should be done immediately. However, if the poisoned person is unconscious, do not induce vomiting as it may lead to choking. 
2. Seek medical attention: It is important to get to the hospital for treatment as soon as possible. 
3. Be vigilant: Anyone who has consumed the same herbs should go to the hospital for examination, regardless of whether they show symptoms. 
4. Keep samples: Any remaining herbs that were consumed should be kept for testing to determine the cause of poisoning. 
Source: Guangdong Disease Control
Produced by the New Media Life Department of Haixia Metropolitan Daily
Coordinated by: Guo Lijuan Duty Editor: Xiu Qin
◆ Scary! A man in Fuzhou stuffed a padlock into his urethra! The reason is… The doctor had to remove it this way
◆ There is a sea of rapeseed flowers in Fuzhou! About 18 acres! Right at the original site of the hot spring hotel! The viewing time is…
◆ A courier in Fuzhou was killed by a Mercedes! The follow-up is complicated, who will compensate? 4S shop, E代驾, car owner…
◆ Starting today, Fuzhou will experience a significant drop in temperature! The good news is that new regulations in December will save you money!
