Faulty sausage production causing methaemoglobinaemia

Accepted 11 December 1996 A family outbreak of methaemoglobinaemia following ingestion of sausages made using `saltpetre' is reported. Saltpetre is a generic term for several potassium and sodium based compounds. On this occasion imprecise ordering led to the use of sodium nitrite rather than the usual potassium nitrate, with extremely serious consequences.