Accidental and self-induced poisoning

Five hundred and twenty-nine patients were admitted to a general hospital in Lanarkshire over a twelve-month period suffering from accidental or self-induced poisoning. One hundred and thirty-five were under the age of five years, 10 were aged 6–12 years and the remainder were adults. Fifty-three were unconscious on admission and four died. Some of the patients were aggressive and 81 took an irregular discharge. Peak admission of adults was between midnight and 3 a.m. It is calculated that six beds must be kept constantly available for poisoning cases in this hospital. Young children are a particular problem. The substances they ingested included household products and a wide variety of medicinal substances. There is an urgent need to educate the public on a safety code for the storage of medicines in the home.