Paramedic Karl Bulpitt described the eventful moment when he accidentally gave former Russian spy Sergei Skripal the nerve agent antidote, atropine, instead of naloxone, which may have saved his life. Initially suspecting a recreational drug overdose, emergency services workers rushed to help Skripal and his daughter, Yulia, who were poisoned with the nerve agent novichok in Salisbury.
Skripal was found vomiting heavily, sweating profusely, and appeared fully unresponsive. Bulpitt administered what he thought was naloxone to Skripal, only to later realize it was atropine. The inquiry into the Wiltshire poisonings revealed that giving Skripal atropine likely aided in saving his life.
Dr. James Haslam, who treated the Skripals in hospital, disclosed that Yulia was in a worse condition than her father upon arrival. Both were eventually put on mechanical ventilation due to breathing complications, and their body temperatures were so low that they could not be recorded.
Despite surviving the poisoning, Dawn Sturgess tragically died in July 2018 after coming into contact with a perfume bottle containing novichok. Paramedic Louise Woods expressed shock over the possibility of chemical poisoning in Salisbury, emphasizing the unusual nature of the incident.
The ongoing inquiry continues to shed light on the extraordinary circumstances surrounding the Skripal poisoning, highlighting the quick thinking and actions of emergency services workers like Bulpitt, whose accidental administration of atropine potentially played a crucial role in saving Sergei Skripal’s life.
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