Potentially lethal 'nitric' gas stolen from hospital

The Northland District Health Board has issued a public warning amid fears someone may have taken a cylinder of potentially deadly nitric oxide in the mistaken belief it was laughing gas.

The cylinder, supplied by BOC Gases, was reported missing from the hospital's store room on Wednesday.

Northland District Health Board spokeswoman Fleur King said the gas, if not administered by a medical practitioner, could cause serious injury or even be fatal.

Nitric oxide is a toxic compound which also plays a number of important roles in the body, including controlling blood flow to tissues, and is used in certain life-saving applications under strict regulation by medical experts.

Ms King said nitric oxide should not be confused with nitrous oxide, a gas used by dentists for light anaesthetic and commonly known as laughing gas. Nitrous oxide has been known to be used recreationally as an inhalant, because it causes euphoria and slight hallucinations.

The missing cylinder was delivered to the hospital on May 20.

"It was only after the hospital's intensive care unit requested the gas from the hospital's stores on June 17 that it was realised the cylinder was missing," Ms King said.

"The item was not receipted and two days of internal investigations within the hospital have failed to locate the cylinder."

It was discovered the cylinder had not been receipted after BOC advised the hospital it had been delivered on May 20, she said.

"We don't know if it's been lost in transit, whether it's been lost in the hospital, or if someone has taken it."

However, given a two-day search had failed to locate the cylinder, it was unlikely that it was on-site, she said.

"We've done searches in the hospital and we've been unable to identify it ... if someone has picked it up, it's a warning not to use it if they think it's this [nitrous oxide] because it's not."

She was not prepared to say whether security at the hospital had been reviewed because investigations were still continuing.

The cylinder is described by BOC as having a green-grey body colour with black and yellow quadrants at the top.

Anyone with information on the missing cylinder should immediately contact Whangarei police on (09) 430 4500 or the hospital's duty manager on (09) 430 4100.

A police spokesman said it was likely a tactical unit was working on the case but he had no further details yesterday.

- Northern Advocate