Journal of the Indian Society of Toxicology
  • Year: 2014
  • Volume: 10
  • Issue: 1

‘Para-suicide Pact’ by Yellow Phosphorus Ingestion

  • Author:
  • HG Ashoka, GN Pramod Kumar1, R Vaidyanathan, Adarsh Pashupathimath
  • Total Page Count: 3
  • Page Number: 42 to 44

*Dept of Internal Medicine, JSS Medical College, JSS University, Mysore

**Dept of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology, Mahatma Gandhi Medical College & Research Institute, Pillaiyarkuppam, Pondicherry-607402

***Intensivist & Anaesthesiologist, Cauvery Hospital, Teresian Circle, Siddhartha Layout, Mysore

****Consultant Physician, Cauvery Hospital, Teresian Circle, Siddhartha Layout, Mysore

1Author for correspondence: Email: drpramodkumargn@gmail.com

Online published on 16 September, 2014.

Abstract

Suicide by yellow phosphorus poisoning is not very common in some parts of Karnataka state of India, such as Mysore. We report two cases of deliberate suicide attempt by yellow phosphorus poisoning (Ratol – yellow phosphorus 3%) involving a 21-year -old man and a 17-year-old woman. Both were asymptomatic at the time of admission and they developed symptoms of poisoning only on the third day. Both patients recovered completely with conservative management supplemented by N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC) and discharged on the ninth day.

Keywords

Phosphorus, Rat poison, Rodenticide, N-acetylcysteine, NAC, Para-suicide pact