VOA标准英语2009-Tainted Liquor Kills More Than 20 People in

At least 23 people have died on the Indonesian resort islands of Bali and Lombok after consuming locally produced palm wine made with methanol, a fuel used for lanterns.

The first victims began arriving at Sanglah General Hospital in the Balinese city of Denpasar more than a week ago. The poisoning is reported to have occurred in four districts, including popular tourist areas.

Backyard distilleries are common in Indonesia where taxes of 300 percent drive up the price of imported wines and spirits. Producers often mix rice wine or arrak as it is commonly known, with methanol to increase the alcohol content. Methanol is used as fuel for lanterns in rural areas.

Most of the victims were residents of Bali and Lombok, but the dead include at least four Europeans and an American. The islands are destinations for international tourists.

Dr. Ida Bagus Putu Alit, the head of the Forensics Unit at Sanglah Hospital, says the victims all had symptoms of severe alcohol poisoning.

"Based on the clinical symptoms all of them were attacked by acute intoxication¹ by methanol. The patient will coma², unconscious, after that renal failure and also [they go] blind," said Dr. Alit.

Nineteen people are still receiving treatment in Sanglah Hospital. Most are expected to recover, but Dr. Alit says some could be left permanently³ blind.

Police in Denpasar say they are questioning several producers of the wine and investigating the possibility that it was contaminated after it was sold to distributors.

1 intoxication   

n.wild excitement;drunkenness；poisoning

参考例句：

• He began to drink, drank himself to intoxication, till he slept obliterated. 他一直喝，喝到他快要迷糊地睡着了。
• Predator: Intoxication-Damage over time effect will now stack with other allies. Predator:Intoxication,持续性伤害的效果将会与队友相加。

2 coma   

n.昏迷，昏迷状态

参考例句：

• The patient rallied from the coma.病人从昏迷中苏醒过来。
• She went into a coma after swallowing a whole bottle of sleeping pills.她吃了一整瓶安眠药后就昏迷过去了。

3 permanently   

adv.永恒地，永久地，固定不变地

参考例句：

• The accident left him permanently scarred.那次事故给他留下了永久的伤疤。
• The ship is now permanently moored on the Thames in London.该船现在永久地停泊在伦敦泰晤士河边。