Trends of Poisoning in Western Utter Pradesh A Clinico-pathological Study

Drugs and chemicals are a great danger to human lives but most of the poisoning in our country is due to pesticides and insecticides. In this paper the cases of poisoning admitted in Subharti Hospital Meerut were studied for epidemiological, clinico-pathological and medico-legal aspects. Majority of the poisoning victims are young adults, Hindus between 16–35 years of age with preponderance of Male (61.11%) over female (38.88%). Most of the victims belonged to lower or lower-middle class. Pesticides especially Aluminium phosphide (31.74%) and organophosphates (20.63%) are responsible for more than two-third (72.22%) of the casualties. Nausea & vomiting was the most common symptom seen in 41.26% patients followed by altered consciousness (39.68%) and burning pain in abdomen (21.42%). Majority of poisoning cases (82.53%) were suggestive of suicide, of which family quarrel (36.54%) and unemployment or loss in business (14.42%) were more common in male and ill treatment by husband/inlaws (13.46%) in female.