Veterinary and human toxicology
-
In 3 fatal cases of tachyarrhythmia caused by herbal poisoning, the only common denominator was the presence of aconites derived from the rootstocks and lateral root-tubers of Aconitum carmichaeli and the rootstocks of A kusnexoffii. The contain aconitine alkaloids which are notorious for the arrhythmogenic properties. Symptoms of these cases and management suggestions are presented.
-
Activated charcoal is often given through small-bore tubing for pediatric patients or in attempts to bypass the stomach in patients who are vomiting. The viscosity makes activated charcoal difficult to administer through small-bore tubing. This in vitro study examined several interventions to facilitate flow of aqueous suspension activated charcoal through the small-bore tubing. ⋯ A 10% dilution decreased the time to administer 240 ccs of aqueous suspension activated charcoal by 2/3. An additional 10% dilution reduced the time to administer the same dose a further 50%. Minimal dilution of aqueous suspension activated charcoal with tap water greatly increased flow rate through small-bore tubes.
-
We previously showed that pretreatment with inhibitors of hepatic P-450 microsomal enzymes prolonged xylazine-ketamine anesthesia, which sometimes led to mortality in rats. In this study we determined if similar effects were produced in broiler chickens and mice. A combination of 5 mg xylazine/kg and 15 mg ketamine/kg im was given to broiler chickens 5-6 w of age, and a combination of 10 mg xylazine/kg and 200 mg ketamine/kg ip was given to mice. ⋯ None of the inhibitors tested altered the duration of anesthesia in mice. Some chickens pretreated with inhibitors (cimetidine, ketoconazole, SKF-525A) or inducers (phenobarbital, 3-MC, rifampin) died. This study suggests that hepatic metabolism of xylazine may be similar in the rat and broiler chicken and that the pulmonary metabolism of xylazine and ketamine may be different in chickens and rats.
-
Comparative Study
Epidemiology of children poisoning: comparison between telephone inquiries and emergency room visits.
We studied 674 telephone inquiries to the Poison Information Centre and 532 Emergency Room (ER) visits due to suspected poisonings in 1018 children below the age of 16 y and living at Trieste. The cases were prospectively recorded during 1985-1989. ⋯ Among children admitted to the hospital ER, 22.2% were more than 10-y old, and of these 79.7% were confirmed poisonings. This study demonstrated the need to take account of both Poison Control Centre and ER data to get reliable information on the occurrence of poisonings in children.
-
Alcohol's effects on balance and motor coordination would be expected to have greater consequences for motorcycle riders than car/truck drivers. Driving while intoxicated/under the influence (DWI) reports for 1984 and 1985 from the San Antonio, TX, Police Department were reviewed to evaluate motorcycle DWIs, and to compare them with car/truck DWIs. During the 2-y period there were 100 DWI reports involving motorcycle riders, which were compared to 100 involving car/truck drivers. ⋯ Breath alcohol testing demonstrated a significantly lower blood alcohol concentration in motorcycle riders, 0.14 +/- 0.05 g/dL, than in car/truck drivers, 0.16 +/- 0.05 g/dL (p = 0.016). The results of this study suggest that alcohol influences motorcycle riders to a greater extent than it does car/truck drivers. Further data is needed to determine whether lower blood alcohol concentration limits should be considered for the definition of "driving while impaired" in motorcycle riders.