By Marjory Inglis and Steven Bell

A DUNDEE woman writhed in agony in the city’s Ninewells Hospital last night, only 24 hours after taking just one mouthful of a contaminated drink.

Frances Nichol told how— within seconds of sipping the drink in a city pub—she was lying helpless and vomiting blood, convinced she was dying.

Ambulance staff rushing the 38-year-old to hospital stopped off at a shop on the way to buy a pint of milk in an attempt to counter the effects of the caustic substance burning her lips, tongue and throat.

The paramedics were so concerned about the condition of the mother-of-two that from the ambulance they sought advice from a senior accident and emergency specialist. He said to give her a milk drink.

Yesterday the popular pub, the John Barleycorn on Strathmartine Road, was closed as a precaution.

The pub, formerly the Three Barrels, is now at the centre of a probe involving police and environmental health officers.

Shortly after 5pm on Wednesday, Ms Nichol went to the pub with the intention of having a meal. She fell ill even before she had a chance to scan the menu.

“I took just one sip out of my drink and immediately spat it out,” she said.

“I made for the toilet and I was violently sick.

“I thought I was going to die.”

Just seconds later Ms Nichol was found lapsing into unconsciousness.

Unable to reach the toilet, she had fallen and was lying face down in her own blood and vomit.

Bar staff immediately called for an ambulance.

Suspicion fell on a bottle of soft drink that had been mixed into Ms Nichol’s glass of white rum.

One witness said there was a turpentine-like smell coming from the bottle.

Paramedics took the bottle to the hospital to help doctors discover the cause of Ms Nichol’s illness.

Ms Nichol said she was aware of paramedics speaking to a doctor while en route to the hospital.

“They said judging by the smell it was some sort of bleach—a caustic substance,” she said.

Ms Nichol was given morphine for the pain, but the drug had to be administered intravenously because of the damage in her throat, which left her unable to swallow.

Doctors put a tube containing a miniature camera down her throat yesterday to discover the extent of the damage.

Ms Nichol said, “There is severe ulceration and burns right down the gullet.”

It would appear there was real concern on the part of medical staff that more people could be seriously affected if other bottles were contaminated.

Last night she was transferred to the clinical investigation unit at Ninewells for further tests.

Bosses at Scottish and Newcastle Pub Enterprises yesterday said it was too early to say whether Ms Nichol’s illness was linked to the pub.

It is understood police have removed a number of items from the premises, and that these will now be subject to forensic and chemical analysis.

Scottish and Newcastle’s press officer Lucy Hall said, “We can confirm that yesterday afternoon a woman became ill while at the John Barleycorn and was taken to hospital.

“No other customers and staff have been taken sick.

“The safety of staff and customers is of paramount importance and, although it is too early to know whether this incident is linked to the pub, as a precaution we have temporarily closed the John Barleycorn while the tenant, police and environmental health department investigate.”

A police officer was on duty outside the closed pub last night

It is believed it may be closed for most of today.

Tayside Police confirmed that inquiries into the incident are continuing.

A spokesman said, “Tayside Police detectives are conducting inquiries after they received a report of a 38-year-old woman taking ill after consuming an alcoholic drink at a pub in Strathmartine Road on Wednesday.

“The woman was subsequently taken to Ninewells Hospital in Dundee where she has been detained having sustained burn-like injuries to her mouth and throat area.

“She consumed the drink at John Barleycorn pub at about 6pm and took ill soon after.

“The pub’s owners are co-operating fully with the investigation and have closed the premises whilst inquiries are carried out.

“A number of items have been removed from the premises for forensic and chemical analysis and Tayside Police is liaising closely with Dundee City Council’s Environmental Health and Trading Standards Department, NHS Tayside and the Food Standards Agency.

“Tayside Police would appeal to anyone who was in the bar at or around 6pm on Wednesday to contact them on Dundee 223200 or speak to any officer.”