Victim says poisoning no accident
Harvard Medical fellow consumed tainted coffee
One of six Harvard Medical School researchers sickened after drinking coffee laced with a toxic chemical said yesterday that he does not see how the poisoning could have been accidental, but has no idea who might be responsible.
University police and other agencies are investigating the Aug. 26 poisonings, which were revealed in an internal memo to medical school faculty last week. The memo identified the substance involved as sodium azide, a common preservative used in school labs, but did not indicate whether officials believed the laced coffee to be accidental or intentional.
“I always thought it was a deliberate substance added to the coffee,’’ said Matteo Iannacone, a postdoctoral fellow.
“It was too strange for me to be an accident,’’ he said yesterday.
Iannacone said he immediately noticed a “weird’’ taste after sipping an espresso he poured from a coffee machine in an eighth-floor lounge near his research lab. After taking a second sip to make sure he wasn’t imagining the foul taste, he began feeling dizziness and a rapid heartbeat, but said the symptoms cleared rapidly.
Two of the researchers who drank coffee earlier in the day had fainted, but officials did not immediately connect their illnesses to the coffee machine, Iannacone said.
Iannacone said he was taken by ambulance to Brigham and Women’s Hospital, where he was treated and released. Doctors could find nothing wrong, he said.
Iannacone said he was informed privately last week by university officials of the results of toxicology tests. Daniel G. Ennis, executive dean for administration, and Richard M. Shea, associate dean for physical planning and facilities, later sent the internal memo to Harvard Medical School faculty.
“As the investigation continues, we are being prudent and taking additional precautionary measures to ensure the well being of our community,’’ the memo said.
Among the steps being taken was installation of additional security cameras in its buildings and “strengthening security systems that manage access to the laboratories during both normal business hours and off hours,’’ according to the memo.
Iannacone said he was unaware of any threats against the school and did not know of any controversial research that might have made the facility or any of its researchers potential targets.
“I have no idea who might have done this thing,’’ he said. “To me it doesn’t look like a joke, obviously, because we were not far from a lethal dose.’’
The machine was a single-serve coffee maker with a water reserve that is filled manually, not the type that is plugged directly into the building’s water supply.
While surprised that it took nearly two months for the investigation to reveal the cause of the illnesses, Iannacone said he believes the university has done a thorough job.
“I am satisfied with the way they have answered questions,’’ he said.
