Preview

The Mystery Of The Seven Deaths Cell

Powerful Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1054 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
The Mystery Of The Seven Deaths Cell
NATIONAL CENTER FOR CASE STUDY TEACHING IN SCIENCE

The Mystery of the
Seven Deaths:
A Case Study in
Cellular Respiration by Michaela A. Gazdik
Biology Department
Ferrum College, Ferrum VA

Part I – The Symptoms
Imagine that you work at the medical examiner’s office for a major metropolitan city. As Chief Medical Officer, you investigate suspicious deaths and provide toxicology services for the county. Unfortunately, it’s been a busy week. In the past five days, seven people have died, all with similar symptoms. It is your job to examine the data and determine the cause of death for these victims.
The first was a 12-year-old girl. Her parents said that she was awake in the middle of the night complaining of a stuffy nose and sore throat. They gave her an extra strength Tylenol and sent her back to bed. At 7am the next morning, the parents discovered that the girl had collapsed on the bathroom floor. An ambulance rushed the girl to a nearby hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
That same day, paramedics found the second victim unconscious on his kitchen floor after what they thought was an apparent heart attack. Sadly, the victim’s brother and fiancée also collapsed later that night while the family gathered to mourn his passing. Both had taken Tylenol to help them cope with their loss shortly before collapsing; neither survived. In the next four days, four other similar deaths were reported, all in the same neighborhood and all with similar symptoms. Are these seven deaths related? What is causing these people to die? It is your job to answer these questions before more deaths are reported.
Symptoms exhibited by most patients:
• Dizziness
• Confusion
• Headache
• Shortness of breath/rapid breathing
• Vomiting
Most deaths were very rapid, occurring within a few hours of symptoms.

Questions
1. Are there any similarities or connections between these seven individuals? What questions would you want to ask the families to answer these questions?
2. In your opinion,



References: Baines, A.T., McVey, M., Rybarczyk, B., et al. 2004. Mystery of the toxic flea dip: An interactive approach to teaching aerobic cellular respiration Beck, M., Monroe, S., Prout, L. et al. October 11, 1982. The Tylenol Scare. Newsweek. Campbell, N.A., Reece, J.B., Taylor, M.R. et al. 2006. Biology Concepts and Connections, 5th edition. Pearson Education Inc. Jones, M., Bickar, D., Wilson, M. T., Brunori, M., Colosimo, A., and Sarti, P. 1984. A re-examination of the reactions of cyanide with cytochrome c oxidase Leavesley, H.B., Krishnan, L.L., Prabhakaran, K. et al. 2008. Interaction of cycanide and nitric oxide with cytochrome c oxidase: Implications for acute cyanide toxicity Tifft, Susan. October 11, 1982. Poison Madness in the Midwest. Time. University at Buffalo, State University of New York. Originally published October 13, 2010. Please see our usage guidelines, which outline our policy concerning permissible reproduction of this work.

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Bio121

    • 1024 Words
    • 5 Pages

    A patient was admitted to the hospital because of severe epigastric pain. He has noted that his stools were darker than the usual brown color. He appears pale and very anxious. The history reports that he drinks 2-3 beers per day and smokes 2 packs of cigarettes a day. Based on the assessment data, the nurse determines the patient has what? Explain why.…

    • 1024 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Upon arrival the male was found lying between the counter and wall. It was reported that the male fell and hit his head. Sgt. Ziegler checked for a pulse and when there was no pulse located he began to start CPR. After a few minutes Goodwill Ambulance arrived and began using advanced lifesaving equipment on the patient. The patient would having surly died had it not been for Sgt. Ziegler’s response. The male was transported to Pottstown Hospital where he was admitted into the Intensive Care Unit.…

    • 148 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Pam said she was trying to revive him but blood was coming out of his mouth and nose. She said she pulled his tank (tank top) down and saw a hole in the right side of his chest. Pam said she called 911. The 911 operator told her to put pressure on the bleeding and to open his airway. Pam said his heart was beating and his eyes were open. He kept throwing up blood. The 911 operator told her to turn him on his side to clear his mouth of blood.…

    • 2569 Words
    • 11 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    him out by the crowbar, and after that, the ambulance men gave him the oxygen…

    • 161 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    This event was about Motl Brody of Brooklyn. He was pronounced dead after a half-year fight against a brain tumor, and the DR’s at Children’s National Medical Center in Washington say the seventh-grader’s brain has ceased functioning entirely. “ But for the past few days, a machine has continued to inflate and deflate his lungs. As of late Friday his heart was still beating with the help of a cocktail of intervenous drugs + adrenaline.…

    • 266 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Jackson had a terrible blood clot while he was biking in the middle of Central Pkwy road with his baby around 8p.m. Although he experienced a great amount of pain, he still maneuvered his bicycle to the sidewalk in order to avoid other cars from hitting the baby. However, he lost his consciousness and hit his elbow on the ground. He was sent to a hospital by a man who passed by him. Unluckily, he didn’t make it.…

    • 292 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    "All of a sudden, I hear a 'swoosh' and I collapsed on the floor," she told Inside Edition's Lisa Guerrero. "I had no idea what had happened. I just remember being hurtled to the floor, not being able to move because I was in so much shock and so much pain."…

    • 167 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    The Cobra Event

    • 829 Words
    • 4 Pages

    year old women who is a medical pathologist in training. She specialized in death, finding…

    • 829 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    pet peeve

    • 758 Words
    • 3 Pages

    In this activity you will receive one final autopsy report and put together all you know to determine Anna’s cause of death. Think about the interventions or innovations that may have saved Anna that day. Reflect on the power of prevention in keeping the body well and safe from harm.…

    • 758 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Jane Dare

    • 387 Words
    • 2 Pages

    medications. Also, the HEENT for the head, eyes, ears, nose, and throats exam which showed…

    • 387 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    lab 6

    • 453 Words
    • 2 Pages

    his hand and his two sons bleeding from their chest. Ma grabbed them and called the EMT’s, but…

    • 453 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Recently in an island named Soldier Island, 10 victims were found completely dead, but no killer could be found. So who was the killer? Soldier Island is off the South Devon coast and is far off the mainland. On this island, there is just the mansion that seemed to be where the victims stayed until their death. Before the guests arrived, rumors of a Mr. and Mrs. Owen arose within the guests.…

    • 719 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Sports Injury Case Study

    • 1354 Words
    • 6 Pages

    An MRI scan may be required, especially if the player loses consciousness. the player will also need rehabilitation exercises.…

    • 1354 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Symptoms may include trembling, shortness of breath, heart palpitations, chest pain (or chest tightness), sweating, nausea, dizziness (or slight vertigo), hyperventilation, paresthesias (tingling sensations), vomiting, and sensations of choking or smothering.…

    • 462 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    How a Baby Changed My Life

    • 1005 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Over the next three days, he became more and more yellow and jaundiced. She was told to take him to the doctor the day after their release. The doctor did blood tests on him and found out that his…

    • 1005 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays