A study of serum cholinesterase levels in organo phosphorous poisoning cases.

The study period is 11 months that is from 01-01-2007 to 28-11-2007, 35 cases of organ phosphorus poisoning were admitted at Mamata General Hospital, khammam, Andhra Pradesh, India. The cases were studied on various epidemiological parameters and Proforma prepared for detailed data. In our study the majority of victims were males, married, Hindu, Literate, from rural area, medium socioeconomic group and common age of victims is 21 to 30 years. The common mode of poisoning is suicidal, one is accidental poison in child and one is occupational as contact poison while spraying .No homicidal poison was reported in our study. Majority victims have consumed poison in day time, commonly abused poison is monochrotophos, and approximate amount of poison consumed by majority of the victims is 250 ml to 500 ml and majority were admitted within 3 to 6 hours of consumption of poison. The common motive of poisoning was suicidal in both male [24 cases] and female [10 cases], especially young victims from rural domicile with agricultural occupation. The majority of victims consumed poison in summer followed by winter season. The probable reason is rain dependent agricultural occupation, unemployment, joint family and medium socioeconomic status of population of this area.

Personal apparel endangering life.

Survival after accidental pressure exerted over neck is not common. In the literature also only few cases are available. Further, the victims or their relatives seek medical assistance only if complications arise and also it is not mandatory on the part of treating private practitioner to report such cases to the police. Findings in the living on the 4th day after accidental compression of the neck by the personal apparel are described in this article. Red eyes due to scleral haemorrhages are the most striking feature and the position of knot with ligature mark is also well marked.

Finger nail abrasions in manual strangulation (throttling).

Autopsy surgeons, often observed that the nail abrasions produced over the neck of victims in manual strangulation are almost straight and do not resemble the shape of nails, which are semi-circular/cresentic. A study is undertaken to know the reason for the same. During the study it is observed that the skin gets stretched while the assailant is applying pressure and only then nails produce indentations. Once the pressure is removed the stretched skin reverts back to its original position. Thus the semicircular indentations caused over the stretched skin appear straight after the skin regains its original position.