Rhino horn is believed to hold medicinal properties by some people in Vietnam. Illustrative photo

The boy in Cu Chi District was taken to the Intensive Care and Poisoning Control Ward of Children’s Hospital No. 2 recently in the state of high fever and cyanosis. 

According to Dr. Huynh Thi Anh Tuyet, tests showed that he had the high content of Methemoglobin, which is around 30 times higher than permitted.

The boy’s symptoms occurred a short time after his parents gave him some rhino horn power to drink to ease his fever. The rhino horn was presented by the family’s friend.

Doctors said that the high Methemoglobin content was the result of drinking the power.

Following five-days intensive treatment using a ventilator and dialysis, the patient’s health has improved and he has been moved to the Internal Medicine Ward for further treatment.

Nguyen Van Loc, head of the hospital’s Poison Control Ward said that to date, there have not yet any scientific evidence to suggest that rhino horn can be useful for fever or any other diseases.

Methemoglobin disorder can cause people to lose consciousness or even pose the risk of death, Loc noted. Dtinews

Van Son

Two rhinos born in Phu Quoc

Two baby rhinos, a male and a female, were born this month in the care of Vinpearl Safari Phu Quoc in Kien Giang Province.