The Story of Gloria Ramirez | A Short Documentary | Fascinating Horror
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 16 ก.ค. 2024
- "On the 19th of February, 1994, a 31-year-old woman was taken by ambulance to the Emergency Room of the Riverside General Hospital in Riverside, California..."
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CHAPTERS:
00:00 - Intro
00:51 - Background
01:29 - The Story of Gloria Ramirez
05:55 - The Aftermath
MUSIC:
► "Glass Pond" by Public Memory
► "Underworld" by Myuu
SOURCES:
► "Analysis of a Toxic Death" by Richard Stone, published by Discover Magazine, April 1995. Link: www.discovermagazine.com/heal...
► "A possible chemical explanation for the events associated with the death of Gloria Ramirez at Riverside General Hospital" by P M Grant, J S Haas, R E Whipple and B D Andresen, published by Forensic Science International, June 1997. Available via: pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9248041/
► "Woman at Core of Mystery Buried" by Tom Gorman, published by the Los Angeles Times, April 1994. Link: www.latimes.com/archives/la-x...
#Documentary #History #TrueStories
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I've seen a few channels cover this, and you are the least sensationalist one. Thank you for being so respectful to Gloria Ramirez, and not referring to her as "The Toxic Lady". She was a person, not a sideshow attraction.
I agree, but I really liked the Joe Scott video too. It mentions more hypothesis while stating they are unlikely. Im not convinced by any hypothesis so far. I dont think it was DSMO, so I appreciate Joe Scott showing other (unlikely) possibilities.
But yeah, as a whole, this one is the most scientifically neutral video and I appreciate it.
@@sodaaccount I know I'm probably being a bit too sensitive about it, but I just really feel bad for her, she was just trying to cope with chronic pain and never meant to harm anyone. I haven't seen the Joe Scott one, I'll have to check it out. Thanks for the recommendation.
Have you seen Mr. Ballen’s video on her? It was respectful & detailed.
Wendigoon is probably the most sympathetic one I’ve seen cover this case, he really went in depth too
@@Lady_Flashheart40 Im coming from a completely different point. I appreciate your concerns and feelings, but I work as a paramedic and Im an Aspie. This means I process stuff very "blunt" and rational. I gotta admit Im more interested in what caused this phenomenon than the wording used.
I think if you work in this field you naturally blunten to the tragic events and see them purely medically/scientifically.
I wish for her to rest in peace and Im sorry the wording upset you, its just a criticism I cannot share at all.
Cheers!
EDIT: You are very welcome, hope you enjoy his take on the matter.
I'm amazed they dismissed hepatitis and bone necrosis as caused by 'mass hysteria'.
Sadly I’m not surprised… it’s a so called easy solution
I don't doubt the nurse was sick. But I'm not convinced her problems were caused by Gloria Ramirez. Consider that none of the other affected staff members had bone necrosis or hepatitis. There is no explanation for that.
We shouldn't be surprised. It seems like it was a majority-female staff treating Gloria at the end of her life, and doctors like to call any of our symptoms as "hysteria".
The hospital did not want to have to pay workman's comp or other damages, so the hospital administration strongly pushed the "mass hysteria" as being fact.
@@squirrel2000 Exactly. "mass hysteria" is used because corporations don't want the responsibility of the liability.
I always disliked that the media called her the toxic lady, it's just an awful nickname. 😢
But true
Agreed. This poor woman suffered enough, and she never intended to hurt anyone. Making her sound like a circus sideshow is just disrespectful.
The media is disrespectful of people suffering, they want to milk the story as much as possible so calling her "The Toxic Lady" is something would do as it would catch a casual viewer/listener's attention unlike Gloria Ramirez would.
Hee carcass was literally toxic, by definition. Would it be "terrible" to call someone who spontaneously burst into song the Singing Man/Woman? No!!! And she was dead anyway, so she literally had no feelings to hurt! The dead don't care one way or another what you say about them, because they're dead! As for the family, too bad! They lied with a straight face and said she wasn't using the stuff, when it was found in her system, and it isn't a naturally occurring compound! I swear some people look for reasons to be offended, the same way pigs search for truffles.
So if your mother died in a freak accident, you'd be perfectly fine with her being referred to on the front page of a newspaper as "The Mangled Lady". Hey, she's dead, who cares what her loved ones think! Good to know. "Stop crying over Mom's death, Dad! You wouldn't want to be known as someone who's 'easily offended'! My God, anything but that!"
Unfortunately her case was literally just "A Series of Unfortunate Events" the amount of coincidence it took for the series of chemical reactions that occured was really sad
I still think it was a case of mass psychogenic illness.
@@MJW238like not mass hysteria but like what I do not know what I mean?
A clear case of Lemony Snickets
@@MJW238 Its possible for sure & I guarantee at least some of the people who felt sick only imagined it. But they did see weird shit in her blood & as someone who has actually accidentally been poisoned before when you actually get sick like that it's like being punched in the face. Hard to imagine your vision going blurry & puking violently. Panic usually spreads more than things like imagining a splitting headache. Also that one woman whose condition deteriorated immediately after this would have to be totally coincidental but again that could easily be possible.
I think we simply don't have enough information to know for sure & personally the 2nd explanation seems to make more sense to me. Explained everything down to the strange smell. Mass hysteria would be what they'd say if the people looking at the case weren't able to figure anything actually out. Do keep that in mind. That's the go to for scratching their heads & coming up with nothing. "Must've been all in their heads, case closed now we can move on & shut this case". They were in a position where they were forced to come up with an explanation & their explanation is not very satisfying compared to the 2nd one that was done with much better equipment. Again I agree it's possible but I think it's more likely a few DID actually get sick causing the other who weren't as close to her to imagine symptoms. A mix of the two if you will. They'd have nothing to panic over otherwise since people normally don't get sick that quickly from something contagious
Also I suffered from a condition they believed was in my head until my leg muscle started getting severe muscular atrophy all because it didn't come up in the first few rounds of blood work. This happens way more than you'd think
@@MJW238 *An amount* of it could be explained by this, but the woman who's knees necrotised *probably* had something more going on at least
I work with DMSO as a geneticist right now. A further insight into DMSO's toxicity is that it is extremely effective at entering cells. In my line of work, we use DMSO in a solution known as DESS. DESS is comprised of DMSO, and various salt mixtures to the point where the solution is saturated with salts. The DMSO serves as a way to carry these salts into the cells of tissue samples to stabilize and preserve DNA to an extremely high grade. In a person, applying DMSO straight to the skin would allow it to sequester into your cells with extreme ease, If Gloria Ramirez was using it as a "painkiller" then I imagine she was applying it quite liberally, allowing for unholy amounts of DMSO to accumulate in her body. Using DMSO as a "painkiller" in this manner would be useless, as all it would do would just load your cells with a lot of DMSO. It goes without saying but please do not use straight DMSO as a remedy of any kind. As it is, concentrated or diluted, it will do nothing for any pain, and will just be extremely toxic to your cells.
And yes speaking from experience, this stuff reeks of rotten garlic.
Could DMSO be used in a positive way? If it is effective at entering cells, could it be used as a weapon against cancer cells?
My sister has cancer, and now I'm always asking these questions.
Thank you for the reply, it's the one I was looking for. Back in the late "80's , DMSO was found in the gym setting and hailed as WD_40 for your sore joints. I tried it once and it left me with the taste of oysters. It was understood the area of use had to be clean as the DMSO would pull chemicals through with it. If I remember correctly, it's a byproduct of the paper making process.
@@betterthanyesterday3912 The use of DMSO as an alternative treatment for cancer is of particular concern, as it has been shown to interfere with a variety of chemotherapy drugs, including cisplatin, carboplatin, and oxaliplatin.[34] There is insufficient evidence to support the hypothesis that DMSO has any effect,[35] and most sources agree that its history of side effects when tested warrants caution
Fascinating....This is the first I have ever heard of it. Thank you.
@@betterthanyesterday3912I have no science background but seeing as the main comment emphasizes the ability of DSMO to make its way into a cell, I don't think it would discriminate against just cancer cells. I'm sorry to hear about your sister, I'm sure she's in very capable hands, especially when you're looking out for her like this. 💕
I lived in Riverside when this happened, and remember it vividly. What struck me the most was that she was a very sick woman, and she was so desperate to live, to see her kids grow up and to beat her disease that she would try anything. Her case just breaks my heart.
I must be stupid. I lived in Corona and don't remember a word of it.
@@MultiTelanit was quite awhile ago. You might have been too young to really hear about it. It was just so so sad.
Cancer effin sucks…
My mom passed off cancer and that’s exactly how it is. They fight till the very end.
I appreciate how this latest installment provided a coherent, non-technical explanation of what happened (or at least the most likely scenario) while also humanizing Gloria, portraying her as a beloved wife, mother, and friend instead of just "The Toxic Lady".
I'm inclined to think the family denied Gloria's use of DMSO to avoid getting sued by hospital employees blaming her for causing a mass casualty event. The legal justification would be shaky--possible exposure to poisons and contaminants is part of the job, and there's no way Gloria would have wanted or intended this outcome. But there's always someone who might sue to get payment for their own medical bills, or because an unscrupulous lawyer told them they could get a quick payday out of it.
Exactly
Think about the medical staff. Even to them it would have been clear that some form of chemical reaction was going on. But yet they still tried to save her.
Or maybe they just didn't know whether she used it or not. It's possible that if she was receiving home care as a consequence of her late-stage cancer treatment, that attending health staff used the cream with the best intentions of easying the suffering of their patient. At such a time the patient herself may even be unconscious.
If this product was dangerous to public health it should have been removed from sale. How do we know there weren't more cases of DSMO if it was so difficult to spot?
People who had a build up of it in their system possibly died from the effects of the cancer, so nobody considered the link. In Gloria's case it was a perfect storm of procedures that created the toxic environment. Me thinks the protection of the pharmaceutical company that made the products were the first concern where law-suits were concerned and they financed a damage limitation exercise.
@@KebabMusicLtd There are lots of useful products out there that people use inappropriately - that doesn't mean they should be removed from shelves. It was removed from sale as a medication, it just happens that the chemical is also used in a degreaser so could be purchased for that use at hardware stores.
Actually, it was the hospital that didn't want to be sued by their employees. Thats why they blamed Gloria. ( the hospital had similar problems in the past )
Nice of you to not sensationalise this by calling it 'The story of the toxic lady' Gives this poor lady some dignity back. RIP Gloria.
Yeah Mr Ballen is a POS. He plays all sympathetic, but his titles and stories often sensationalize things.
Par for the course with this channel. I've never seen anyone approach subject matter like this with more tact and respect.
I remember some old channel from the old days that titled that video
wendigoon had “the toxic lady” in his title and thumbnail for this case but he was very respectful and sympathetic for gloria and her family. his thumbnails and stuff are just meant to be really eye-catching but his videos are actually very respectful and compassionate to the people he talks about, and theres a “no nonsense” atmosphere with the lack of suspenseful music and editing which most other youtubers but into their videos. wendigoon’s just genuine in his storytelling
@@shannonmcnally9483
Asking a journalist to have tact and respect is like expecting a mover to dance the Swan Lake ballet to perfection. Ain't gonna happen. Because their job is to sell headlines (and now clickbait in this day and age)
I have much much more respect for documentary makers such as FH
My mother died of late stage cervical cancer and subsequent kidney failure last year. Hearing Gloria's story, it reminded me of my own mother's struggle with the terrible pain and disease caused by the cancer. Nothing helped her pain. In the emergency room, they would give her every drug to try and help it, but even fentanyl wouldn't touch it. I can see how Gloria may have turned to something she viewed as an alternative to all of those drugs, that didn't help, to try and ease her pain. It probably didn't take long for her already damaged kidneys to be overwhelmed by DMSO, even applied topically. That poor woman. May she rest in peace.
I'm so sorry about your mother... My mom died of pancreatic cancer in 1993. Cancer is horrible.
I’m very sorry for your loss ❤️
I am so sorry. I lost my mother and it is an emotional pain you never get over, just learn to live and cope with.
I’m sorry to hear about your mom. I hope wherever she might be, she’s pain-free now. ❤
Please keep in mind through all this that in 1994 there weren't the online resources we have today, and a young woman going through metastatic cancer would have obviously been in a lot of pain and looking for any kind of relief.
Fair point. Thank you.
We learned during the pandemic that the internet can influence people to make all kinds of dangerous medical decisions, though. Double edged sword.
This is why I adore this channel. You go into details about these events but humanize people at the same time. You gave her and her family dignity. Thank you for that.
I'm so glad we not only know what happened, but the staff got a sense of closure knowing that it wasn't hysteria. I can't imagine experiencing all those symptoms only to be told it was hysteria. I'm also glad Gloria isn't the toxic lady anymore, she deserves more respect than that.
Right? Imagine being told that your hepatitis and necrosis were just "hysteria"!
People are A-holes. Sorry, but especially in the medical field. If they don’t understand what’s going on with you, you must be mental.
First time Ive heard this case being treated as a medical issue,not as some spooky mystery. Well done.
FH, I will always admire the respect with which you treat the subjects of these stories. It’s why you’re my favorite channel when it comes to this stuff. No sensationalist narrative, just facts with a touch of empathy and great respect for those lost or impacted.
Definitely. Fascinating Horror is always the best. He never judges, just leaves it to the facts to tell the story.
I agree! Though if you want some more information on Ramirez I’d recommend Wendigoon’s video on her as well, I thought he also dealt with the case with a lot of respect
I agree. It's why I love Fascinating Horror. Plain facts, empathy, respect, and best of all - no drama. I've tried other similar channels, and knew within a couple minutes they were not what I wanted to watch. I don't even remember how I found this channel, but I'm glad I did.
@danielalexander8588 Not only that, but the videos are concise. I don't feel like I'm sitting in a college classroom being stuffed with information nor do I feel like I'm watching a sensationalized gossip rag.
Same
I went to school with her kids (one was in my sister's class) and Gloria is buried near my Grandma. This case has always hit close to home (for obvious reasons). I feel so bad for her family. I've always thought it was a chemical reaction, not mass hysteria. Every time I drive by the spot where the hospital used to be, I think about her. I was there a few days ago. Thank you for approaching the case with respect.
It does seem like a weird chemical reaction..
Hi thanks for sharing.
.
Do you know or remember if Gloria was in any way connected to the military?
Or knew anyone that worked for the military...
@@stuartd9741 No idea. I didn't know her kids personally or have any special knowledge of the situation. I just remember it happening and it was so sad.
@@danakscully64 Thanks for the reply.
It's such a sad tragedy and strange that the hospital seemed unprepared to deal with Gloria's condition.
Mass hysteria in the rest of the hospital could have been caused by the real reactions of the close medical staff to Gloria.
Her family insisting "there is no way she was using DMSO" means less than nothing, nobody's family wants to admit a loved one could fall victim to these kind of home remedies
I wholeheartedly agree! It is very often that families do not acknowledge the obvious fact that their relative committed a murder.
very true. They were either ashamed or in denial.
Simply using dmso would not affect all these people in such a way. Nor does it explain her symptoms.
@@glamcityrockerofficialdid you not watch the video ?
If it was indeed as theorized, then it's the perfect confluence of circumstances, but seems almost an impossibility.
Its so easy to (sadly) sensationalize these incidents but people tend to forget that these are just people and for Gloria, she probably was out of options that can save her life 💔
Cancer can make anyone Desperate for a "Cure".
@@HooLeePhucingSheetFacts, cancer is a horrible disease.
thank you for taking the time to acknowledge the memory of gloria as a person. most who have heard her story did not know her personally (including myself). i appreciate that we fans of true crime and highly strange occurrences can distance ourselves from the horror of someone’s death and remember that someone loved this person in life.
Yeah.... (sometimes we need to be reminded that humans do human things while interacting with other humans doing human things)
You and Wendigoon have been the only horror TH-camrs to treat Gloria Ramirez with any respect.
No one ever says her name, they just refer to her as the “Toxic Lady”. They focus solely on the strangeness of her death and make it a creepy spectacle (not saying any names, just grateful for members of the horror community that restore a person’s humanity).
Joe Scott did an episode on her and while he focused more on the chemistry, he also did a great job of humanizing Gloria.
Yes, let’s please remember she was a real person with a real life with a family and friends that loved her. RIP Gloria. ❤️
Put it this way, this Fascinating Horror Episode is more considerate and educated than the Hard Copy story I remember flashing across the TV screens in 1994 when I was 11, which seemed to imply something from outer space caused the incident.
Well stated.. Thank you.
@@elizabethsohler6516 You're welcome 🙂💐. Not to make light of things but Twin Peaks and the X Files are make believe...😒 I feel for that nurse who got hospitalized with that potentially disfiguring condition too. 🫂
It’s very sad how so many things happened and a woman died while many others got sick. May she rest in peace and keep up the great work you do man. Take care!
It's tragic, she just wanted to quell this unbearable pain and pass away gently, I am sure she would have felt so guilty, knowing how sick the product made the medical staff to be.
Thank you for your respect, giving Gloria her humanity back rather than the horrid name of the toxic lady. She was everything but toxic in her life. If she did use the DMSO, she had to have been in so much pain that she was willing to try anything. Unless she was a chemical expert, she wouldn't have known the consequences. People who try unconventional methods are usually very good at hiding it, unless it actually works. So, I'm willing to accept her family being unaware. Gloria sounds like the type of person who wouldn't have wanted to give her loved ones false hope.
In 1978 it was FDA sporoved for use in humans.
there is NO DOUBT she used DMSO, as there was no other way for it to get into her System in the levels it they were finding; 🤡💩. It's adorable that you think you Fifi's matter when the Tw@t literally "Cashed herself out" with her stup*dity. It's called actions have consequences, Karen; and Death is all about Equality!
Never underestimate chronic pain. It can completely change the way your mind works as you desperately seek relief. I wouldn't be surprised if she tried rubbing DMSO on her skin as a pain killer. I feel so sad for her if this is what happened. So many great drugs ended up having negative side effects though unfortunately. I hope she is now completely at peace. ❤
Exactly...
(as someone with chronic pain)
@@deprofundis3293 I hear ya. I heard it at a customer service training course I did years ago as a reason why some people may be cranky for no apparent reason. I now suffer from chronic pain myself and I'm aware that it makes me feel tired and crabby. I try not to be around or take it out on others. Not always possible and my painkillers and muscle relaxants only do so much. 😥
I, too, live with chronic pain. It's a b**** and it varies in intensity from day to day and hour to hour. I feel for all of you in the same boat as me. And I pray for all of you who do not suffer from it that you never will.
A woman near where I live had a rare migraine disorder that I can't recall the name of, but it was basically a permanent migraine that caused her to drop out of school and quit working. She tried all kinds of treatments, even the laser knife brain surgery. She was on prescription painkillers obviously and died from crushing them up and trying to inject them intravenously. A chunk of a tablet had blocked a blood vessel. I can only assume she was desperate for the pills to act faster and tried to get them into her blood stream immediately.
I really appreciate your tact on this story given how the media labeled this woman.
Has this channel done the McDonalds hot coffee lawsuit? It’s a pretty similar story when it comes to how the media misconstrued it.
Oh man, I've seen pictures of that incident. It's brutal.
i learned about the reality of the hot coffee lawsuit in my business law class for my accounting degree. the prof asked us how many of us had heard about the case, everyone raised their hands, and then asked how many of us were aware that the woman had required genital reconstructive surgery due to the damage she'd suffered from the incident, not a single hand raised. really sobering and instantly throws the case into a completely new light. it's absolutely disgusting how the media made it the poster child for frivolous lawsuits.
I remember they spoke of Gloria on an episode of Law and Order. It was an episode where a quack doctor offered women a false cure for breast cancer. Gloria's story is so very sad. I feel bad for her and her family.
It was highlighted once in an episode of grey's anatomy I think during the second season. The episode was about a patient that was emmiting toxic gas and made all the surgeons faint.
😮 Indeed, I also Recall At Least 2 Eps of The "L and O" 👁️ Franchise That Dealt With This
Issue and Dilemma! 🙄💀🔥👿💥💓
@@jasonmims50573rd season, somewhere around the 11th episode or so
@@genghiscan2918 oh ok
@@jasonmims5057 after episode 10 but before the ferry crash trilogy
I've read about this, I figured it was probably a chemical reaction within the body producing toxic vapors; mass hysteria doesn't make sense, how could hysteria cause hepatitis and necrosis of bones?
Thankyou for covering this. It's nice to find out about Gloria, so many seem to forget she was so much more than just the events of that evening.
Absolutely. The media tends to do that with victims of all kinds.
@@Lady_Flashheart40 Not just the media, the hospital administration was quick to blame the staff as having a hysterical reaction.
Many people can’t hear people getting sick and not get sick themselves... once you believe something is wrong with you you look for things to be wrong with you .. the same with fainting . The mind is funny .
@k33k32 To be fair, the hospital admin and the media were looking for a quick answer in this case. There wasn't any test that determined the presence of DMSO until later, and the sudden collapse of so many staff members in a hospital has to be explained some way. Otherwise, the hospital is potentially looking at qualified personnel not wanting to work there, patients not wanting to come there, and an unjustified lawsuit.
@@actionjackson3522 good point
I’ve seen some crazy psycho somatic symptoms as a professional psychologist but I’m pretty sure you cant induce bone necrosis using your mind
Exactly!
Pfft, maybe _you_ can't. 😉
Watch me
You're a "professional psychologist" who doesn't know "psychosomatic" is one word? That seems exceptionally unlikely. And it's not like it was an accident, given that you've already edited your comment. 🙃
Insulting to even suggest
I've watched several videos on Gloria's case, but I think this is the first one to humanize her rather than dwelling only on the weirdness and potentially "ooo spooky" details of her death. I didn't even know she'd been a mother. Thank you for presenting her story with respect and reminding us that her death might be famous but she had a life and was a person first and foremost.
People: "its all just hysteria"
The nurse who literally had her health deteriorated: 👁👄👁
Don't underestimate the power of psychosomatic illnesses. Look at Physic Girl for instance or all the ME/CFS cases.
Some of them definitely just had hysteria in reaction to the other nurses that worked with her directly falling ill. The ones who worked on her directly were actually exposed.
@@tomkandyare you kidding me? You think stuff like cfs is usually faked?
@@deprofundis3293Absolutely it's just neuroticism, alongside 'long covid'.
@junkiedropouts3186 had covid for 10 months, It was a horrible time.
One of the most baffling stories featured on FH. I hope all the medical staff who fell ill were able to recover fully
I never knew about that last part. All other videos I've seen on this incident never talk about Gloria as a person. The detail about "Amazing Grace" has me trying not to cry in public. I know it's a very common song, but I sang it at my grandma's funeral because she asked me to a few years before she died. I know many others have emotional connections to that song too since it's so well-known. Thank you for including that detail. It humanizes her and it's a reason I love this channel.
Wow, it's been years and this story still freaks me out!
As always, your videos are so refreshingly respectful. I was a kid when this happened, and the coverage of it left a strong impression on me. One news report I saw at the time talked about Gloria Ramirez more like a cryptid than a human being dying of cancer. That was always the scariest part of the case to me - the way she seemed to stop being a person (at least to the public) so quickly. I suppose that's pretty common, but this news story was the first time I became aware of it.
This is always such a weird story. I wonder if we'll ever know what actually happened. The DMSO theory is the most plausible though.
If they’re injured at work would their workplace not be required to pay for their medical care?
@@GretalRabbitshe wasn't injured at work.... 🤔
@@ashotofmercury something went awry on TH-cam but I was replying to a comment about the hospital staff who required medical treatment!
A Mass Spec is the most accurate chemical test known to science. She definitely used DMSO, and it is definitely that toxic.
I suspect the shocks triggered a chemical reaction from DMSO to DMSO(2, sulfate), which is super toxic. Also, when the blood was drawn, it went from 98.6 degrees to 64 degrees.
I worked at that hospital during that time. No, I am not a doctor or nurse and I worked in another department, but it was a very bizarre event. Every time I see a channel do this story, I watch it. You did a great job. 👍
I was on the night it happened in RT. I was working up in the Neuro ICU. By the time I was able to show up down in ER, things were already happening.
Huh. I remember hearing of this strange story years ago but was unaware there been a "conclusion" beyond the BS hysteria one. Hysteria can do _a lot_ of things but rotting someone's knees is a bit beyond it.
Thank you for acknowledging Gloria as a person and not just a mystery to be solved. While I find this case utterly fascinating (ha) too often coverage forgets the human.
Exactly! She seemed like a happy person.
@@eeemanI'm about to make a fish sticks omelette for breakfast, where are you?
Thanks for doing this one! I remember hearing about it when it happened, but I hadn't heard any of the later explanations. And yeah, what kind of utter moron looked at BONE NECROSIS and said to himself "Yep. Power of the mind!"
Female medical professional: *has bone necrosis*
Other doctors: Must be all in her head!
Some things never change lol
The hospital did not want to have to pay workman's comp or other damages, so the hospital administration strongly pushed the "mass hysteria" as being fact.
I remember this case. At first it was very scary because nobody knew why the medical staff were affected in this way. It was like her body emitted some sort of nerve gas. What a tragedy. I know it’s been a while now but my heart goes out to her family. There has never been another case like this since.
So sad for her family and the staff! RIP Gloria
Have a good day to all. Thank you Fascinating Horror!
I remember her. She was such a nice lady.
Perfect way to start the morning with Fascinating Horror
Being sick and making everyone around me sick would be an absolute nightmare.
This case actually pisses me off. It’s an example of how broken our healthcare system is in the US. People aren’t screened early because they can’t afford it, and often only get diagnosed with cancer when it’s “too late”, then they are left to their own devices to acquire pain relief unless they’re lucky enough to have a doctor that doesn’t restrict their pain medication out of fear of the war on drugs. Cancer patients even having to seek out home remedies that end up being extremely harmful because they’re in that much pain is disgusting.
And even worse, I’ve always wondered if her case was so unusual because she may have had layer upon layer of the substance on her skin, many elderly people with mobility issues end up with poor hygiene because they’re afraid of bathing and slipping with no one to assist them, and I would think for a late stage cancer patient that chance would be higher. It would not only be risky to shower/bathe but probably very painful just to move around. She may have not been showering and removing the layer of degreaser from her skin and just kept applying more and more until it absorbed enough to reach an extremely high concentration in her bloodstream.
Which just makes me more pissed off, thinking about how many people have to go through that kind of life the last few years or months they’re alive. It’s insane we consider ourselves the greatest country in the world when we can’t even provide basic healthcare or compassionate relief to our most vulnerable in our population. We won’t even allow someone with late stage terminal illness to peacefully die at home with the assistance of a doctor, people classify it as murder instead of compassionate euthanasia. Yet we have no issue with letting someone die in pain when it’s someone that’s deemed a non contributor to society. This country is fucked.
Agree 1000% 😖🎯
My sister has cancer and I 100% agree. She'll have a good appointment in Houston, then be told "come back in 6 months for another evaluation."
I'm sorry SIX MONTHS? I feel like cancer can grow tremendously in that amount of time.
If I ever get cancer, I'll demand to be seen every 2 months, or once a month to make sure that it isn't spreading, or stop its growth if it even tries.
@betterthanyesterday3912 It genuinely depends on the kind of cancer. Breast can kill you fast, especially the younger you are. Prostate takes about 12 years and if you're diagnosed after 70 the concensus is you're as likely to die from other conditions first. If the doc said 6 months its likely because the growth wouldn't be significant in that time.
What a bunch of leftoid nonsense. The overwhelming majority of jobs nowadays offer affordable health insurance. Maybe things were different back when this happened to Gloria, but nowadays there's literally no excuse not to go in for regular checkups and screenings. Not unless you're spending SO much of your income on Starbucks and Funko pops that you can't even afford your deductible (in which case, how the hell are you even paying for bills or rent?).
We don't have a healthcare crisis, we have an "idiots who don't know how to spend their income responsibly" crisis.
Poor Gloria. It's sad that her death was so sensationalized, when she must have been in such horrific pain to resort to that sort of remedy. I find an echo of familiarity in her family saying that she would have 'never used DMSO' the same as many families, after a suicide, say that they never saw any signs, that the person was always happy. We tend to try and hide our pain from our loved ones, as to not have them worry. She may have been embarrassed about using oven cleaner to try and lessen the pain, but at that late stage of cancer...what else can you do? You're desperate and hurting. Rest in peace, Gloria.
I've seen the Toxic Lady been covered countless times, but I think this is the first time I've watched anyone has actually said why she was toxic at the end.
Same. Also a rare time where her horrid nickname wasn't used, yes it was mentioned but as a footnote rather than the main attraction. I for one wasn't sure I knew the case till I saw her picture because she's so rarely referred to as Gloria.
What an interesting case. Thankfully, none of the hospital staff lost their lives, and hopefully a similiar incident doesn't happen again.
I would love to hear your telling of the 2015 Tianjin explosions in China, as it seems to have flown mostly under the radar for many people I've met.
I really appreciated the humanizing of Gloria Ramirez in this video; it's a welcome reminder that this was a person who was dearly loved by many people, and so much more than just "the toxic lady"
Nice deep dive of a medical tragedy on the heels of terminal illness. Hoping the family came out okay💐
Always look forward to Tuesday mornings when FH uploads a video
thank you for humanizing her. you are sensitive when talking about these oddities and disasters. i don’t think that there’s anything wrong with being curious about and sharing with others your findings on unusual things. you do it the right way by giving victims and survivors their humanity.
Never underestimate the lengths people will go to end their pain. What a way to die. It sounded truly horrible.
I'd heard this story before, but you had detail I'd never seen. Thank you for covering this tragic story! It sounds like she was just trying to get relief at the end stages of a terrible disease. It's hard to imagine anyone being able to predict what happened.
What a strange story. How do you come across those creepy and bewildering and awkward stories? You are a brilliant researcher, and I love your voice and kind of telling tone. Thank you!
this ones been around for years. ive seen maybe 10 on this case with some being 15 years old
The greater LA area has over 14 million people. We all heard of this unusual incident. This story wasn’t too hidden from the world
You're right FH does find incredible stories but this one in particular has been very popular for ages - I think I first heard it about 10 years ago
Echoing many others, I really appreciate your matter of fact telling of the stories. No clickbait, just what happened and what was learned from it. Keep up the great work!
I love the personal details you added at the end about Gloria. I'm sorry such a nice person had to endure so much. RIP.
It’s weird and unfortunate that this insane series of events happened to someone who was so well-liked and warm to everyone, then the media branded the story as “the toxic lady”. That’s just a shame.
The way she's described I feel like she would have been devastated to know that three of the people trying to save her life were made so sick.
I remember how the LA local news treated this story as it broke. I never knew about the final outcome. Thank you for that.
Bless the staff who continued to assist Gloria.
Hospital: We have 100 employees that are sick, one’s in ICU. Also hospital: It’s hysteria, so there’s no worker’s comp.
Good morning Fascinating Horror 😮❤😊
rest in peace and power, Gloria. thanks for this. i've seen many mystery videos about this case but this feels quite definitive and vanishes some of the mystique, which is good because it gives this woman back her name and humanity.
Unbelievable! This sort of 'perfect storm' situation is astounding. Wow!!!
Bravo to this channel for doing justice to this poor woman and her family. I love this channel. I feel terrible for this woman. Her picture shows a highly attractive woman whose glow jumps right off the page. My heart goes out to all those injured physically or emotionally from this event.
Usually you’re the trendsetter with these. I’d seen this one before yours. But I prefer your intro, narration, voice, and everything else please keep doing what you’re doing
Trendsetter? What a weird way to think of unusual news stories. Get out more.
@@shamelesshussy hardly a news story, it was 20 years ago. I think OP is right even though the phrasing could probably have been better - it happens often that one youtuber covers a story and then a range of others decide to do it as well.
@@contra1124 Almost 30 years ago. Almost as long as Gloria lived on earth.
The DMSO argument makes so much sense, especially according to a scientific comment I read in this thread. It’s understandable that the family may have wanted to avoid a possible lawsuit due to the series of said unfortunate events and the fact DMSO was taken off the market for reasons of toxicity. It’s just really saddening that Gloria was already on her way out with the cancer, and got so desperate applying the DMSO in an attempt to lessen the pain…not knowing it was doing no more than slowly poisoning her and she ends up ultimately passing from the reaction. Rest in peace, I’m sure she was a very kind and amicable person 💐
In 1978 the FDA re-approved it for use in humans. You can buy skin cream with it....right now, no prescription
I remember this case so well as I live only an hours south of Riverside. I also must say that my heart goes out to Gloria and her family and also to the angels who were her medical staff. That said, in this day and age, there is almost NO reason ever that a normal woman should ever die from cervical cancer. Pap smears have been around from at least the end of WWII and maybe even before then. Once detected, cervical cancer is extremely easy to cure. Women MUST get annual pap smears starting right around 20 and continue getting them. They are easy and done as part of one's yearly physical. It is so important to get these routine tests done so no onther woman need die of such a curable cancer.
This story never gets old. I like hearing all the different views on it.
May you rest in peace, fellow sister.
Gloria, in excelsis deo. As her legacy as a nice lady will be remembered and not for her toxic body.
This literally sounds like a House MD case.
Grays Anatomy did it...
I've never heard this story before, but based on the comments im glad that this is my introduction to it. Respectfuly done and gives the victim dignity. Keep up the great videos!
This channel will always be among my favorites due to the respect shown to those involved in any incident discussed. I never would have known about a lot of these disasters/incidents without this channel. So thank you for all the incredible work you do.
The officials plucking "hysteria" out of the air as the cause must of been infuriating to those affected by this
My dad has used DMSO on sore joints and it sure is stinky. He’s always been into trying alternative remedies - some suspect, some actually helpful.
Hope you share this story with him; he can make his own choices, but he should know how this affects the kidneys and such, and could potentially be toxic to medical carers, those handling his sheets and laundry, etc.
Of all the videos and shows I've seen recounting this event, yours was definitely the most respectful of the young woman, while also being very informative. Great job as always.
i have heard that story many times however that was the most humane retelling actually remembering the lady rather than just her fate, thanks
Surely it would have been easy to find out if Gloria actually possessed any DMSO at the time? If none was present in her property, then it could be ruled ot?
I seem to recall they did find a jar of it at her house.
Bud, not being able to move my limbs is more than an "unpleasant symptom" 😂
This story is wild, I’m glad you did your take on it from the other explanations I’ve seen. Always love your versions 👍🏻👏🏻
I truly appreciate you giving such an unbiased and well rounded summary of these stories, and being so respectful with the victims.
We actually studied this case in my toxicology courses
Have there been any new developments?
"if you have eliminated all other possibility, what remains, however distasteful it may seem, has to be the answer" ~Sherlock Holmes
DMSO killed this woman, no doubt.. this is why, wives tales, home remedies, and granny cures are a BAD IDEA..
Long time watcher and first time commenter, this video perfectly encapsulates why I love your vids
I've seen videos an order of magnitude longer than this that didn't give Gloria a fraction of the dignity and humanization you managed in less than 10 minutes. That, and I can't remember any that actually cover the possible explanation so thoroughly and instead treat her case as a ~creepy mystery~
Your work has such a succinct and unsensationalized coverage of incidents both obscure and infamous that its a breath of fresh air on this site
Keep it up my guy 👍
Wow, you never disappoint. I have to tell you, knowing an episode of Fascinating horror would be available today is what made it possible to get out of bed this morning. Thank you!
Hearing this certainly won't help to calm the nerves of those who are already uncomfortable attending a hospital
Because this is such a common occurrence?
I have never heard anyone actually offer an explanation for her symptoms. It's always, 'Not one knows what caused her death. What a mysterious mystery!'.
The hospital had similar problems in the past ( which Fascinating Horror didn't bother to mention ) so when this happened during Gloria's crisis, the hospital desperately tried to deflect blame onto Gloria. The hospital didn't want their own personnel to sue them. For those that don't know - its completely normal for patients who have organ failure to have odd smells due to chemical buildups from food, medicine, and the waste products of normal metabolism. And note that - her family, the paramedics - no symptoms of DMSO exposure. No one ever found any DMSO where she was living.
Yes, I've heard other telling of this story that explain possiblely how the events & symptoms happened but has possible reasons for all the strange ones being the hospital's fault. (Don't remember all the details but that it included making illegal drugs & accidently giving her something that is part of the drug making process that at the time might have been stored in IV bags before being finished into the street drugs. And that thing is known for being more dangerous airborne then the drug she might have been taking.)
I remember the case well. It was quite a mystery at the time. You handled the subject better than I ever heard it done before. Thanks so much!
I did imagine some form of "alternative" medicine was involved because of her cancer but if that explanation is actually happened that was very unlucky
wow....I remember hearing about this and all the conspiracy theories around it......I recall one was that she was a shape shifting alien and that her blood was toxic to humans or that she was some kind of android........anyway, this is unbelievably tragic for this woman and of course the strangeness to it all.......
Fascinating. I was just thinking of this woman all Sunday and all Monday. I couldn’t remember what her name was. Amazing. Wonderful upload. 😊
Thank you for all the Southern California episodes. I remember so many of the San Bernardino and Riverside County stories. People were really creeped out over this episode.
I lived in Riverside in 1994 😳 (I remember this).
Me too.
Doctors & nurses: We passed out & now have health issues.
Hospital management: It's all just in your head.
Your subtitles are exceptional and an example to many corporations who refuse to include them. Top marks to you for making your excellent videos as inclusive as possible.
Thank you so much for being kind and respectful to Ms. Ramirez; you told an interesting story without sensationalism, and with compassion. I love the way you present your cases- much respect to you!
I struggle to believe that people would say hysteria caused hepatitis and necrosis of the bones. The willingness to dismiss women's medical issues truly knows no bounds.
You assumed the team was all women?
No. We as women have our symptoms dismissed as hysteria as patients. 🤦♀️
It's been a couple of decades since I last heard about this story. Thanks for covering it!
How professionally handled. Thank you for enlightening me as to the cause of this sad and terrifying circumstance. RIP Dear Gloria.
I remember hearing this story when I was only a child. Thank you for covering this, I couldn’t believe how much of a mystery this was.