Acute toxicity after excessive ingestion of colchicine.

A 15-year-old girl was admitted to a hospital in Rochester, Minnesota, 40 hours after the ingestion of 24 mg of colchicine. She suffered severe cardiovascular, pulmonary, hematologic, gastrointestinal, renal, metabolic, and neuromuscular complications but ultimately survived. Colchicine is an uncommon but potentially serious source of acute toxicity. An overdose warrants prompt attention in a setting where intensive medical support is available.