When first seen by the Austrian doctors, Yushchenko was in a critical stage but was "not on the verge of dying", Zimpfer said.
"If this dose had been higher, it may have caused death." [...]
Sunday, December 12, 2004
Ukraine leader's 'soup was poisoned'
NICHOLAS CHRISTIAN http://news.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=1420712004
UKRAINIAN presidential candidate Viktor Yushchenko was poisoned by dioxins, causing terrible disfigurement to his face, a team of Vienna doctors confirmed last night.
After extensive tests and biopsies, the medical experts said the toxins may have been put in his soup and that more poison would have killed the opposition leader.
The verdict on what caused Yushchenko’s illness split his native country, with his supporters claiming it was evidence of dirty tricks by the government, while the critics of the opposition said the claims of poisoning were aimed at boosting Yushchenko’s poll ratings.
Yushchenko is now in a satisfactory condition and dioxin levels in his liver have returned to normal, according to Dr Michael Zimpfer, director of Vienna’s private Rudolfinerhaus clinic. Another expert, Dr Nikolai Korpan, added that no functional damage would remain and that Yushchenko was "fully capable of working".
A series of tests run over the past 24 hours provided conclusive evidence of the poisoning, Zimpfer said.
He added: "There is no doubt about the fact that Mr Yushchenko’s disease, especially following the results of the blood work, has been caused by a case of poisoning by dioxin.
"We suspect involvement of an external party, but we cannot answer as to who cooked what or who was with him while he ate."
He added that tests showed the dioxin was taken orally. [...]