India, Oct. 20 -- A Wyoming university student experienced tingling sensation and numbness in his fingertips, along with some weakness in his legs. By the time summer was wrapping up, things had gotten worse-the numbness had spread across his left arm and was affecting all his fingertips.

Following multiple weeks of evaluation and consultations at the University of Wyoming student health clinic, he still couldn't figure out what was going on, according to court documents. He had mentioned to a few professors and other researchers that the hot water he'd been drinking regularly in his office had a weird taste to it, as two professors confirmed to CNN.

He discovered a white powder near his coffee maker and water container, as confirmed by...