ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Most personal defense sprays contain o-chlorobenzylidene malononitrile (CS), w-chloroacetophenone (CN), oleoresin capsicum (OC), or a combination of these ingredients as the active agent. They are designed to incapacitate by causing acute ocular irritation, lacrimation, conjunctivitis, blepharospasm, and mild to moderate respiratory distress. METHODS: To assess the ocular effects of sprays containing OC as the active agent. Snellen visual acuities and anterior segment appearances of 22 police officers were determined before and after spray exposure. To assess the effects of OC spray contamination on soft contact lenses, four brands of lenses were sprayed and cleaned twice with an alcohol-based cleaner. Gas chromatography was used to search for residual OC in the lenses. RESULTS: All officers experienced intense blepharospasm, lacrimation, conjunctivitis, and incapacitation as the result of spray exposure. Acute effects lasted about 5 to 10 min, with relatively complete recovery occurring in about 30 to 60 min. All had significant conjunctivitis, and some had water-drop-shaped corneal defects that stained with fluorescein. These defects resolved within 24 hours without treatment. OC residue was found to be present in the soft lenses that had been sprayed and cleaned twice. CONCLUSIONS: Optometrists can manage uncomplicated spray exposure patients by directing at-home irrigation with water, and following up with an in-office examination. Soft lenses contaminated by OC spray should be discarded.
Subject(s)
Blepharospasm/chemically induced , Burns, Chemical/etiology , Conjunctivitis/chemically induced , Eye Burns/chemically induced , Irritants/adverse effects , Lacrimal Apparatus Diseases/chemically induced , Plant Extracts/adverse effects , Aerosols , Blepharospasm/prevention & control , Blepharospasm/therapy , Burns, Chemical/prevention & control , Burns, Chemical/therapy , Capsicum/adverse effects , Chromatography, Gas , Conjunctivitis/prevention & control , Conjunctivitis/therapy , Contact Lenses , Eye Burns/prevention & control , Eye Burns/therapy , Eye Protective Devices , Humans , Lacrimal Apparatus Diseases/prevention & control , Lacrimal Apparatus Diseases/therapy , Plants, Medicinal , Salicylates/adverse effects , Visual Acuity/drug effectsABSTRACT
A study of changes in mortality due to carcinoma of the stomach in France between 1954 and 1974 was undertaken on the basis of probable levels standardised on the French population in 1968. There was a marked fall in this mortality for both sexes. In the male, the initial level in 1954 was 54.8/100 000 and the decrease was of the order of 1.35 deaths per 100 000 per year, i.e. an annual fall of -3.21%. This phenomenon was more marked during the second period (1965--1974): - 3.88%, than during the first period (1954--1963: - 2.38%. In the female, with an initial mortality rate of 31.25/100 000, the annual decrease was 31.25/100 000, i.e. an annual fall of - 3.49%. This fall was - 3.09% for the first ten year period and - 4.80% for the second period. Thus in France, in common with many other countries, there has been a marked decrease in mortality due to carcinoma of the stomach, for both sexes, and this phenomenon became progressively more notable during the period of the study.
Subject(s)
Stomach Neoplasms/mortality , Female , France , Humans , Male , Sex Factors , Stomach Neoplasms/epidemiologyABSTRACT
A study of changes in mortality due to carcinomas of cervix uteri in France between 1950 and 1976 was undertaken. Rates increased slightly over the whole period (0.44% per year). However, from 1950 to 1968 there was an increase (1.9% per year) and from 1969 to 1976 a decrease (1.17%). This decrease may be due partly to improvements in diagnosis, screening and cure. The geographical distribution has not shown any regional particularity. There is a high significant correlation with geographical distribution of breast cancer mortality, a hitherto unknown finding in France.
Subject(s)
Uterine Cervical Neoplasms/mortality , Adult , Age Factors , Aged , Breast Neoplasms/mortality , Female , France , Humans , Middle Aged , Uterine Cervical Neoplasms/epidemiologyABSTRACT
Trends in mortality from bladder cancer have been described with several statistical methods using bi and multivariate analysis. Between 1952 and 1976, the mortality by bladder cancer was marked by an increase for both sexes with a predominance among the males (annual increase + 3,65%, against 1.34% among the females). In 1976, the age-adjusted rate/100,000 of mortality was 11,35 for males and 3,20 for the females showing an high sex-ratio. The computerized mapping of this cancer geographical distribution shows a significant predominance in the south of France and also a high statistically significant correlation with the geographical distribution of lung and gallbladder cancer mortality in France.
Subject(s)
Urinary Bladder Neoplasms/mortality , Adult , Age Factors , Aged , Female , France , Gallbladder Neoplasms/mortality , Humans , Lung Neoplasms/mortality , Male , Middle Aged , Sex FactorsABSTRACT
Mortality from carcinoma of the breast in man varied from 0.6 to 0.8 per 100,000 from 1950 to 1970. Over the same period the equivalent figures in women were 22 to 29 per 100,000. From 1955 to 1968, the Enquête Permanente Cancer recorded 537 cases of carcinoma of the breast in men. 293 of which were seen before any treatment. This last group is described with respect to the age of the patient, the topography of the tumour, the histology, the tumor node metastasis and treatment. Survival rates were as follows: 39.2% at 5 years, 23.7% at 10 years and 16% at 20 years. The relative survival was 49% at 5 years, 37.5% at 10 years and 43.8% at 20 years. These results are identical to those published for numerically similar series. In this enquiry, a comparison between the results of carcinoma of the breast in men and women showed no difference.
