• iconNews
  • videos
  • entertainment
  • Home
  • News
    • UK News
    • US News
    • Australia
    • Ireland
    • World News
    • Weird News
    • Viral News
    • Sport
    • Technology
    • Science
    • True Crime
    • Travel
  • Entertainment
    • Celebrity
    • TV & Film
    • Netflix
    • Music
    • Gaming
    • TikTok
  • LAD Originals
    • Say Maaate to a Mate
    • Daily Ladness
    • Lad Files
    • UOKM8?
    • FreeToBe
    • Extinct
    • Citizen Reef
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • UNILAD
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
Snapchat
TikTok
YouTube

LAD Entertainment

YouTube

LAD Stories

Submit Your Content
Woman suffered one of the most ‘terrifying’ deaths ever after one drop of liquid hit her hand

Home> News

Published 13:01 7 Jun 2025 GMT+1

Woman suffered one of the most ‘terrifying’ deaths ever after one drop of liquid hit her hand

Just 10 months on from the incident and research scientist, Karen Wetterhahn, passed away in hospital

Lucy Devine

Lucy Devine

A scientist suffered one of the most terrifying deaths imaginable after a drop of a chemical - no bigger than a raindrop - made contact with her skin.

Karen Wetterhahn was a research chemist at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire, US, studying the impact of heavy metals on living organisms.

In August 1996, Karen was using dimethylmercury when a tiny droplet dripped onto her latex glove.

Karen took all the appropriate steps following the incident, and immediately removed the gloves before replacing them with new ones.

Advert

But unfortunately, the volatile compound had already seeped into her skin, and into her blood stream.

Dimethylmercury is extremely dangerous (Getty Stock Photo)
Dimethylmercury is extremely dangerous (Getty Stock Photo)

It wasn't immediately apparent what had happened, but a few months on from the incident and Karen started suffering from unusual symptoms.

She had problems with her balance, speech, vision and hearing, and in the following January, was admitted into hospital.

After running some blood tests, doctors discovered that Karen had mercury poisoning, with her blood mercury levels over 4000 times the normal level.

Advert

In a video explaining exactly what happened - and just how dangerous the substance is - Dr. Ben Miles said: "Just a single drop of this clear liquid could change your life forever.

"Not immediately, but so inevitably that doctors can only watch as your brain slowly disintegrates.

"This, is the horrifying reality of dimethylmercury... once inside the body, dimethylmercury decomposes, releasing mercury ions that bind aggressively to sulfur atoms, which are in particularly high abundance within the neurons of the brain and central nervous system.

"Robbed of the sulfur that they need, those neurons begin to malfunction and die."

Although medics urgently tried to remove the mercury in Karen's system, the damage to her neurons was already established.

Advert

She was unable to walk, see, speak or hear and she slipped into a coma and had her life support removed just 10 months after the initial exposure.

A number of memorials have been set up as a tribute to Karen, meanwhile The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences created an award in her honour following her death.

The neurons in the brain and central nervous system begin to malfunction (Getty Stock Photo)
The neurons in the brain and central nervous system begin to malfunction (Getty Stock Photo)

Extra precautions were also implemented when using the chemical, with scientists discovering that dimethylmercury is able to permeate latex, PVC and neoprene gloves.

"Diagnosis at the time of death was encephalopathy as a result of mercury intoxication," explained a 1998 report.

Advert

"The gloves used in this incident were disposable latex examination gloves and subsequent permeation testing of the gloves by a certified, independent testing laboratory indicated that the chemical permeates latex, PVC, and neoprene almost instantaneously."

Featured Image Credit: Getty stock

Topics: Health, Science, Environment, US News

Lucy Devine
Lucy Devine

Advert

Advert

Advert

  • Huge impact death of 'radioactive man' who suffered one of most painful deaths ever had on entire world
  • Doctor revealed horrific thing he witnessed as 'radioactive man' suffered one of the most painful deaths ever
  • Horrifying story of ‘radioactive man' who suffered one of the most painful deaths ever recorded
  • Terrifying way you will know if a dust storm is heading your way as one the size of 48 US states is set to hit this week

Choose your content:

2 hours ago
3 hours ago
5 hours ago
  • 2 hours ago

    Brits urged to make small iPhone change that could avoid huge bills on holiday

    A travel expert has warned of just one small settings change that could save hundreds of pounds

    News
  • 2 hours ago

    Man 'fired' from job over controversial far-right views in viral debate speaks out

    He outed himself as a fascist during the YouTube debate

    News
  • 3 hours ago

    Terrifying moment intruder checks naked woman out with torch while she slept next to her partner

    The masked man's chilling movements were captured on CCTV footage from the couple's Marbella home

    News
  • 5 hours ago

    Woman who lost three stone on Mounjaro reveals most 'disgusting' side effects of weight loss

    TikToker Sara-Jane has shared the most surprising outcomes since losing three stone on Mounjaro.

    News