Pharmacy Daily | Dispensary Corner 11 Aug 17

FORENSIC pathologists have solved a mysterious case in France last week, where two men were found dead after enjoying a delightful dinner together.

The unfortunate incident occurred at the home of 69-year-old Lucien Perot in the village of Authon-du-Perche, about 150km south-west of Paris.

The bodies of Perot and his friend, 38-year-old Olivier Boudin, were discovered on the terrace in front of half-eaten meals of roast beef, beans, camembert, a baguette and glasses of wine - causing major suspicions about rapid-onset food poisoning or even something more sinister.

Local mayor Patrice Leriget described the scene "as if time had suddenly stopped".

Detectives investigating the curious deaths sent samples of the meal to the Pasteur Institute in Paris for testing, but found nothing out of the ordinary.

However post-mortem examinations of the bodies suggested the older man, who was missing several teeth, had choked after trying to swallow a large piece of meat without chewing it properly

His friend, who had a congenital heart condition, then suffered a cardiac arrest on seeing his dinner companion die.

Locals told the Le Parisien newspaper that it was a "stupid death," but were reassured that the mystery had been solved.

"They hadn't any enemies and led simple lives...they were certainly not the sort of people to be picked off by the mafia," one of the neighbours said.