Zhu Ling, a talented woman from Tsinghua University who was once in her prime, suffered from illness for nearly 30 years because of an unsolvable thallium poisoning case, and finally passed away on December 22, 2023. Her death has aroused mourning and attention from all walks of life, and has once again aroused people's questions and thoughts about this mysterious case. Who, why, and how did Zhu Ling be given such a cruel fate? Is there any hope for truth and justice to answer this question?
The beginning and end of Zhu Ling's thallium poisoning incident
Zhu Ling's thallium poisoning incident refers to the incident in which Zhu Ling, a 92-level student of the Department of Chemistry of Tsinghua University, began to show symptoms of thallium poisoning at the end of November 1994, and was diagnosed with thallium poisoning in April 1995 after Internet distress calls and multi-party testing, but the murderer has not been able to find out. This is China's first attempt to use the Internet for international telemedicine, and it is also an unsolved case that has aroused widespread concern and discussion in the society.
Zhu Ling's poisoning process can be divided into two times. The first occurred on November 24, 1994, when Zhu Ling suffered from symptoms such as stomach pain, inability to eat, and hair loss, but after treatment at Tongren Hospital, his condition was relieved and he was discharged from the hospital on January 23, 1995. The second occurred on February 20, 1995, when Zhu Ling returned to school, and after returning to school, he developed more serious symptoms such as pain in his legs, dizziness, numbness of facial muscles, and respiratory failure, and was sent to Union Hospital, where he fell into a coma.
Since the Union Hospital did not test for thallium poisoning, the cause of Zhu Ling's illness could not be diagnosed until April 10, 1995, when Zhu Ling's high school classmate Pei Zhicheng asked for help overseas through the Internet and received a large number of replies stating that Zhu Ling was thallium poisoning. The investigation of Zhu Ling's thallium poisoning incident has also experienced many twists and turns.
In May 1995, the Beijing police began a formal investigation, but before the case was filed, there had been a bizarre theft in Zhu Ling's dormitory, and Zhu Ling's toiletries were missing. The police ruled out the possibility that Zhu Ling himself and his family had been in contact with thallium, and suspected that someone had deliberately poisoned him, but after the investigation of the case, there were several ups and downs, and the murderer was still at large, and there was no clear result.
In April 1997, the police conducted the first surprise interrogation of Zhu Ling's dormitory classmate, Sun Wei, who was considered "the only student with access to thallium" but was later released. In August 1998, the police closed the case to no avail, citing the loss of evidence. Since then, Zhu Ling's family and all sectors of society have repeatedly called on the police to reopen the investigation and make the case public, but they have not received a satisfactory response.
In 2013, with the cracking of the Fudan poisoning case, Zhu Ling's case once again attracted public attention, and Sun Wei was questioned and accused by netizens, but she never responded positively. In December 2023, when the news of Zhu Ling's death broke, Tsinghua University's official Weibo posted a message of condolences, but did not mention any details of the thallium poisoning incident, nor did it express its willingness to pursue and resolve the case.
The impact and significance of Zhu Ling's thallium poisoning incident
The thallium poisoning incident is not only an ordinary criminal case, nor is it just a tragic human tragedy, but it also has profound social impact and historical significance. The importance and value of this incident can be seen from the following aspects.
Zhu Ling's Internet SOS is China's first attempt to use the Internet for international telemedicine, and it is also one of the early applications of the Internet in China. This incident shows that the Internet, as an emerging information technology, can break through the limitations of regions and national borders, realize communication and exchanges across time and space, and provide people with more knowledge and help.
At the same time, this incident also reveals the limitations and risks of the Internet, because the information on the Internet is not necessarily accurate and reliable, and there may also be misleading and deceptive situations, which require people to have the ability to discern and judge. In addition, the use of the Internet may also be subject to some political and legal restrictions and interferences, affecting its normal operation and development.
The Zhu Ling thallium poisoning incident exposed the deficiencies and deficiencies of China's medical standards and systems at that time, such as the backwardness of hospital equipment and technology, the mistakes of doctors in diagnosis and treatment, and the lack of trust and communication between doctors and patients. These problems not only brought difficulties and delays to Zhu Ling's treatment, but also brought threats and dangers to the health and lives of other patients. These problems require the joint attention and improvement of the medical community and all sectors of society, so as to improve the quality and level of medical care and protect the people's health rights and interests.
At the same time, the Zhu Ling thallium poisoning incident also exposed the imperfection and deficiencies of China's judicial and legal system at that time, such as the ineffective investigation and evidence collection by the police, the unfairness of the court's trials and judgments, the insufficient media coverage and supervision, and the lack of attention to public participation and appeals. These problems not only brought an unbreakable fog to Zhu Ling's case, but also brought irreparable losses to the rights and interests of other victims.
The thallium poisoning incident has attracted widespread attention and support from all walks of life, such as donations and help from alumni, solidarity and appeals from netizens, media reports and exposures, advice and guidance from experts, and the company and service of volunteers. These actions showed the warmth and kindness of the society, adding a ray of light and hope to Zhu Ling's life.
epilogue
Zhu Ling, a girl who was once full of dreams and talents, lost her health and life, as well as her truth and justice, because of a thallium poisoning incident that could not be understood and forgiven. Her story makes us feel sad and angry, but also makes us feel admired and moved. Her story is both a tragedy and a revelation.