A MAN died from an allergic reaction to penicillin at a clinic in Futian District on Sunday.

The man, identified only by his last name, Jiang, worked for a sanitation company in Tian’an Cyber Park in Futian. As he was running a fever Saturday, he went to see a doctor at the clinic located on Tairan Road 4. The clinic was a simple one with outdated equipment, yesterday’s Daily Sunshine reported.

At the clinic, Jiang was diagnosed with flu and advised to be put on intravenous drips for two days. Jiang, 48 and a native of Sichuan Province, felt better after receiving a drip later that day.

Accompanied by his wife, Jiang went to the clinic on the following day at about 11:40 a.m. The doctor changed the prescription to penicillin and cephalothin, saying the new combination would be more effective. When the couple asked whether it would be necessary to conduct a test, the doctor said no allergy test was needed.

Shortly after being put on the drip, Jiang experienced a severe allergic reaction.

“He looked ghastly, foaming at the mouth after he had been on the drip for less than half an hour,” Jiang’s wife recalled, tears in her eyes. “I was very nervous and asked whether he should be sent to hospital, but they said they would try to save him.” Jiang died soon after.

The case is being investigated. (Cai Yingbo)