THANJAVUR: A 10-day-old baby girl is battling for life at a government hospital here after she was allegedly fed mercury mixed with betel leaf juice by her grandmother to treat stomach ache.
A doctor at the hospital said the infant was suffering from Septicemia due to mercury poisoning.
Septicemia occurs when a bacterial infection elsewhere in the body, such as lungs or skin, enters the bloodstream.
"The baby's maternal grandmother fed mercury with betel leaf juice (to the infant) leading to her critical condition," he said.
Sumathira, baby's mother said her child had developed stomach pain due to constipation after which the grandmother gave her the concoction.
The baby was first treated at the Mayiladuthurai government hosiptal and then referred to the one in Thanjavur.