Assistant Professor, Department of Forensic Medicine, Jorhat Medical College, Jorhat, Assam
Agriculture medicine portrays the burden of diseases and mishaps linked to the poisoning and use of pesticides. Over 300,000 people die from pesticide poisoning annually, and pesticides are the source of poisoning in some SEAR (South East Asian Region) countries including India11. In the present study conducted at the Department of Forensic Medicine, Gauhati Medical College, Guwahati, Assam out of 2401 autopsies performed; 89 cases of agricultural poisoning deaths were studied during 1 year period from 1st August 2008 to 31st July 2009. In this study, 68.4% of total victims were males. Most (38.2%) were in the age group of 20–29 years of rural background (65.17%) and 97.76% cases were suicidal in nature. Organophosphorus compounds were the most common agents responsible for poisoning with 21.35% cases, followed by organochlorine compounds with 19.10% cases and carbamate compounds with 4.49% cases in the present study.
Pesticides, autopsy, poisoning, suicide, Organophosphorus compounds.
