Journal of the Indian Society of Toxicology
  • Year: 2019
  • Volume: 15
  • Issue: 2

A retrospective study of annual poisoning profile in a tertiary care hospital in South India for the Year 2017–18

1Associate Professor, Department of Forensic Medicine, Velammal Medical College Hospital & Research Institute, Madurai, Tamil Nadu

2Undergraduate Student, PSG Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu

* Corresponding author: Yogesh, Associate Professor, Department of Forensic Medicine, Velammal Medical College Hospital & Research Institute, Madurai, Tamil Nadu, Email: dr.c.yogesh@gmail.com, Phone: 9980025510

Online published on 30 June, 2020.

Abstract

Introduction: Poisoning is a common medicolegal problem now days all over the world as it consumes not only the valuable health service resources but also causes considerable morbidity and mortality. Aims and Objectives: The present study was carried out with the objective to find out the pattern of acute poisoning in a tertiary care hospital in South India in one year. Materials and methods: A retrospective analytical content based analysis was made on 130 poisoning cases recorded in a tertiary care hospital in South India in one year from June 1st 2017 to May 31st 2018 and the results were tabulated. Results: Of the 130 cases, 52 were males and 78 were females with 31 cow dung poisoning cases (23.84%) as the most common followed by OPC poisoning with 22 cases (16.92%) and rat killer poisoning with 17 cases (13.07%). Conclusion:: Our study concludes that cow dung is the most common agent of poisoning followed by rat killer and OPC- all related to agricultural occupation with recommendation to establish a Poison Information Centre in all hospitals.

Keywords

Poisoning, Cow dung, Agriculture, Mental vulnerability, Pesticide act, Rat killer poisoning