Harvard: Lab Workers Poisoned By Tainted Coffee

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (AP) - Harvard University says six researchers who became sick in August apparently were poisoned after drinking coffee laced with a chemical preservative.

The Boston Herald reported Sunday that an internal university memo released Friday says the coffee came from a machine that later tested positive for sodium azide, a common preservative used in labs.

The six reported symptoms on Aug. 26 ranging from dizziness to ear ringing, and one passed out. They were treated at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and later released.

The researchers all work in Harvard Medical School’s pathology department, using mice to investigate how diseases interact with the immune system.

Harvard says it’s investigating the incident, and the school is tightening building security.