Cantharides poisoning: another fatal error

An account of cantharides intoxication is presented in which traditional medicine practised by a local hakim proved fatal. The clinical features and laboratory investigations used to identify the toxin are described along with comments on the results. A second patient is mentioned who in retrospect had a similar history and clinical features to the confirmed patient but whose tissues had not been analysed for cantharidin. Thrombocytopenia and depression of the bone marrow are two features that previously have not been described as being associated with cantharides poisoning