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At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Suspected poisoning in children. Study of the incidence of true poisoning and poisoning scare in a defined population in North East Bristol.

The distinction between true and suspected poisoning in children has not been made clear in previous work on childhood poisoning. A study of suspected poisoning in children under 15 years of age in a defined population of North East Bristol from November 1970 to July 1973 carried out by the Health Education Council Medical Research Division included 53,000 child-years at risk. The number of suspected poisonings was 3-4/1000 population aged under 15 years per year, with a higher incidence in younger age groups. Detailed investigation of the circumstances of the accidents carried out by a multidisciplinary team showed that at least 65%, and possibly as many as 78% were poisoning scares and not true poisoning. The evidence used by the casualty doctor and by the parents to diagnose poisoning was explored, and in many cases was circumstantial. Children with fathers in nonmanual occupations were over-represented. This may reflect differences in patterns of utilization behaviour rather than true differences in incidence.

Accidents, Home

Poisoning and poison control centres in Canada.

Poisoning is a major and increasing health problem in the Western world. In 1972 the 310 poison control centres in Canada reported 53 531 enquiries about poisoning, 40% in adults. In 1964 the numbers of hospital admissions and deaths due to poisoning in this country were 2446 and 38, respectively, but in 1972 the figures were 6263 and 319, respectively. Most of the hospitalizations and deaths were among adults. Of 100 Canadian poison control centres two thirds were staffed by "any nurse in the emergency room", most of whom had received no training to answer the phone enquiries. However, two thirds agreed a training program is needed. Only 6.7% of 223 parents surveyed stated they would call a poison control centre if their child had accidentally swallowed a large amount of a poisonous substance. Regionalization of centres, a training program for personnel answering telephone enquiries, the need for crisis intervention as part of poison control programs, and public education about poisoning and poison control centres are the new challenges facing those providing health services.

Canada

Poisoning prevention knowledge and practices of parents after a childhood poisoning incident.

This study investigated the effectiveness of a poison center-initiated mailed intervention on improving the preventive practices of families whose preschool child had recently experienced a poisoning incident. A low-cost, mailed poisoning prevention packet consisting of telephone stickers, a +f41 coupon for syrup of ipecac, one slide-style cabinet lock, a nine-step checklist for "poison-proofing" the home, pamphlets, and a cover letter was tested prospectively on a population of parents calling a poison center for advice about possible poisoning exposures involving their preschool children. Parents without ipecac 1 week after the incident were randomized so that half received the mailed intervention. A "blind" follow-up telephone interview was conducted 3 months later. Of the 336 original families enrolled in the study, 301 (90% retention) completed the follow-up interview. Those who had received the intervention were more likely to have a telephone sticker than control families (78% vs 39%; P < .0001) and were more likely to be using at least one slide lock in the home (59% vs 40%; P < .001). However, intervention families were no more likely to have ipecac on hand than control families (57% vs 52%; P = not significant) and did not indicate a higher rate of compliance with suggested changes in other behaviors and practices to prevent poisonings. A poisoning recurrence rate of 3.7% was seen in the total sample during the 3-month period of surveillance; there was no difference between groups in recurrence rate. Even after a poisoning event, parents may not be sufficiently motivated to take poisoning prevention measures on their own.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Accidents, Home

[Mortality from accidental poisoning in Budapest during 1961-1975. III. Alcohol poisoning].

In the examined 15 year period 174 persons--134 males and 40 females--died from alcohol poisoning. The number of cases of accidental alcohol poisonings has considerably increased. The number of cases of alcohol poisoning has increased at a rate thrice as high as the poisonings of all the other causes. The number of cases in the last third of the 15-year-period was five time higher than in the first third of it. The number of women deceased of alcohol poisoning increased at a greater rate than that of the males. Deaths from alcohol poisoning occurred first of all among the age groups between 40--59. In 67 cases of fatal alcohol poisoning the alcohol level in the serum was under 3 0/00. Regarding the latter, authors emphasize the importance of experts-opinions dealing with indirect cause relationships.

Accidents

One year's experience in a regional poison control center: The Intermountain Regional Poison Control Center.

The Intermountain Regional Poison Control Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, has served as a regional poison center since 1971. Between 1972 and 1976 the call load has more than tripled, with the highest frequency of calls per population coming from counties most proximate to the center. Two-thirds of the cases involve children age five or less, with 18 or over being the next large group. Adolescents and school-age children comprised the smallest group of cases. Two predominant types of poisonings were encountered: accidental ingestions of toxic substances in children and intentional self-poisonings in adults, but the poison center handled almost every conceivable type of poisoning or toxic situation. A detailed analysis of the center's overall experience as well as these two major categories is presented.

Adolescent

[Mortality from accidental poisoning in Budapest during 1961-1975. II. Carbon monoxide poisoning].

In the examined 15 year period accidental deaths from carbon monoxide poisoning amounted to 641 persons--341 males and 300 females. The number of poisonings increased evenly and at a progressive rate, although the frequency of carbon monoxide poisoning--among the accidental poisonings--decreased. The majority of the deceased from accidental carbon monoxide poisoning was older 60 years. 90.4 per cent of cases occurred at home. In 37.7 per cent of the cases the source of the gas appeared to be the gap-tap turned off wrongly and in 36.4 per cent the escape of gas. 4.4 per cent of the cases survived. 14.4 per cent of the deceased had alcohol in their blood.

Accidents

[Mortality from accidental poisoning in Budapest during 1961-1975. IV. Various types of poisoning].

In the 15-year-period analyzed 242 persons--170 males and 72 females--died from various kind of poisons (alcohol and carbon monoxide excluded). The fatal poisonings were as follows: 69 cases--due to mushroom, 33--organic solvents, 23--23 cases--caustic material (soda and acids), 21--methylalcohol, 18--weedkillers and insecticides. Some types of poisonings seems to be more frequent among males, others among females. The frequency of above mentioned poisonings decreases. The majority of deceased appeared to be of elderly age. The type of poisoning and the age of the deceased are not correlated.

Accidents

Paraquat poisoning: Experience of Poison Control Centers in France.

Seventy acute intoxications with paraquat have been collected in 11 out of the 17 French Poison Control Centers from 1970 to 1977. The main route of intoxication is oral ingestion and accounts for all the lethal cases (24). Accidental ingestion may be severe : 7 deaths out of 25 cases but suicidal intoxications have a more important morality rate : 17 deaths out of 22 cases. The addition of an emetic to the formulation of this herbicide will lower the severity of this acute poisoning and will be demonstrated by the survey of the next cases of paraquat poisoning.

France

[Poisoning by anorexigenics. Information from the data bank of the Anti-Poison Center of Marseille (1973)].

Using the data bank developed by the Computer Service of the Lyon Hospitals, the Anti-Poisons Centre of Marseille presents an initial study of intoxications by appetite suppressants. The work was complemented by a simultaneous study using conventional manual techniques. An epidemiologic review of 1973 and an approximate assessment of toxic doses in the adult and child were possible. They should be of particular use in answering telephone enquiries at anti-poison centres.

Adolescent

Motor nerve conduction velocity after carbon monoxide or m-dinitrobenzene poisoning following elimination of the poisons.

24 hrs after acute carbon monoxide or m-dinitrobenzene poisoning (about 60% CO-Hb or Met-Hb) the sciatic motor conduction velocity of rats is significantly reduced by 33% and 16% respectively. Whereas 48 hrs after methemoglobinemia the nerve conduction is normal, a retardation is detectable even 4 weeks following carboxyhemoglobinemia. Also, 4 weeks after single carbon monoxide intoxication producing a mean CO-Hb content of 19%, the motor conduction velocity is significantly decreased. This effect may be useful for detection of carbon monoxide intoxication after elimination of the poison. The results show that there are carbon monoxide effects independent of blockade of hemoglobin.

Animals

[The number of admissions to Dutch hospitals for barbiturate poisoning from 1981-1989 and those for poisoning with sedatives and hypnotics,and benzodiazepines].

Over the period 1981 to 1989, the number of admissions to Dutch general hospitals for barbiturate poisoning has dropped sharply and steadily, due to a more restrictive policy in prescribing regarding these sedatives. This trend is also present concerning poisoning with sedatives and hypnotics in general (ICD-code 967), but not concerning those with benzodiazepines (ICD-code 969.4). The female-male ratio was nearly 2:1. This difference is possibly due to the fact that females take more medication than males.

Adolescent

[Comparative immunological study of protein extracts of poisonous and non-poisonous fishes (author's transl)].

Suggesting an immunologic participation in the pathogeny of the ciguateric syndroms, the authors have prepared a proteic antigen from the flesh of poisonous and edible fish of the same species. They have shown that there is a total common antigenicity between toxic and non toxic extracts. They suggest a new immunologic approach, in the matter of intoxication by ciguateric fish.

Animals

Methyl alcohol poisoning. II. Development of a model for ocular toxicity in methyl alcohol poisoning using the rhesus monkey.

Rhesus monkeys were intoxicated with methyl alcohol, using an initial dose of 2 gm/kg and subsequent doses were administered in order to maintain an attenuated and prolonged state of intoxication. Arterial blood samples were drawn for methyl alcohol, formate, PO2, PCO2, and pH, which were monitored periodically throughout the course of the experiment. With the use of these procedures monkeys developed metabolic acidosis with the accumulation of formic acid in the blood and a corresponding decrease in blood bicarbonate. These animals served as models, which allowed for ocular evaluation for early signs related to methyl alcohol poisoning. A mechanism to explain toxicity is proposed and discussed.

Acidosis

An outbreak of suspected solanine poisoning in schoolboys: Examinations of criteria of solanine poisoning.

Seventy eight schoolboys became ill after eating potato at lunch on the second day of the autumn term. Seventeen of the boys required admission to hospital. The gastrointestinal, circulatory, neurological and dermatological findings and the results of laboratory investigations were in keeping with solanine poisoning. The illness affected the junior boys and all the monitors but no other senior boys or staff. This pattern was compatible with the consumption of a relatively small number of toxic potatoes believed to have come from a bag (A) left in the stores since the summer term. The amount of solanine in potato waste recovered after the meal was excessive as assessed by its anticholinesterase activity. The amount of alpha-solanine and alpha-chaconine in the flesh and peel of potatoes from a bag (B) known to have been left from the previous term was high. The anomalously narrow margin between the solanidine alkaloid content reported for normal and toxic potatoes might perhaps result from an excessive synthesis by the latter of additional, related steroids, such as sapogenins and saponins, which, by promoting gastrointestinal absorption or other means, might enhance the toxicity of solanidine alkaloid.

Adolescent