Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to V D Plueckhahn.
One hundred and ninety-six fatal immersion accidents occurred in Geelong and district during the 20-year period, 1959 to 1978. Of 54 drownings in children aged 16 years and younger, 43 (80%) occurred in males and 33 (61%) in fresh water. All 14 drownings in children under four years of age occurred in fresh-water sites, 12 of which were about the home. Immediate and optimal resuscitative measures in such children are extremely important.
This paper reviews the part which prior consumption of alcohol played in motor vehicular fatalities in Geelong and district between January, 1967, and June, 1978. There were 344 deaths of persons aged 17 years and older within four hours after the accident. Of 147 such victims who were aged 17 to 50 years and who were drivers of motor vehicles. 54% had a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) greater than 0.1 g/100 mL (22 mmol/L) at autopsy. Of 35 male pedestrians, 60% had a BAC greater than 0.15 g/100 mL (33 mmol/L) at autopsy, and 80% of such accidents occurred between 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. A high degree of sobriety was noted among all female road traffic victims. The increasing road toll related to motorcycle accidents and the problem of legal and illegal drug use are also briefly discussed.
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Explore the source record for details and available documents.
This paper reviews 81,756 live births and 858 infant deaths occurring during the years 1959 to 1969. Sixty-three instances of central nervous system vacuolation are reported. Prematurity is shown to be a necessary prerequisite for central nervous system vacuolation to occur during routine antiseptic skin care of newborn infants with 3% hexachlorophene emulsions. Hyperbilirubinaemia is a contributory factor in such premature infants. Long-term clinical follow-up studies show that, should central nervous system vacuolation occur in premature infants, there is no resultant detriment to their immediate clinical progress and physical and neurological development. Normal newborn infants weighing more than 2,000 g do not develop such central nervous system vacuolation during routine antiseptic skin care. The writers conclude that there is no rationale for regulations to restrict the use of 3% hexachlorophene emulsions in routine antiseptic skin care of normal newborn infants and that the benefits of such use far outweigh any possible risks from central nervous system vacuolation.
This paper reviews the circumstances of 142 deaths by drowning which occurred in Geelong and district during the years 1959 to 1974. The effectiveness of safety nets and protective fences as a means of preventing the accidental submersion of young children in home swimming pools is questioned. Consumption of alcohol before submersion played a major role in the death of many adult males. Of males aged 26 years and over, 79% imbibed alcohol before death, and 57% had a blood alcohol concentration greater than 0.1% at autopsy. Of males aged 17 to 25 years of age, 25% imbibed alcohol before death and only half of these had a blood alcohol concentration greater than 0.1% at autopsy. The age preponderance for consumption of alcohol and drowning is opposite to that for fatal motor vehicular accidents (in these males aged 17 to 25 years more frequently have significant blood alcohol concentrations at autopsy than males aged 26 years and over). No female consumed alcohol before submersion. The writer suggests that the public, and in particular males aged 26 years and over, should be warned as forcibly against the dangers of "swimming and drinking" and "boating and drinking" as they are against the dangers of "driving and drinking".