title: Poisoning admissions of black South Africans.
abstract: During the period 1981-1985, 1306 patients with acute poisoning were admitted to Ga-Rankuwa Hospital. Of these 60% were males and 40% females. The majority (80%) were children aged 10 years or less. Sixty patients (4.6%) died. Most poisonings were accidental and only 4.0% were due to deliberate self-poisoning. The most important causes of acute poisoning were kerosene (59%) and traditional medicines (15.8%). The major causes of mortality were traditional medicines responsible for 51.7% and kerosene responsible for 26.7% of the deaths that occurred. The prevention and treatment of kerosene poisoning and poisoning by traditional medicines merits high priority in the health care of the indigenous population of South Africa.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics Medical University of Southern Africa, Medunsa.
authors.forename: P H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Joubert
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D044383:Black People; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004630:Emergencies; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007648:Kerosene / Q000009:adverse effects; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010575:Pesticides / Q000506:poisoning; D010939:Plant Poisoning / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality; D011041:Poisoning / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality; D012737:Sex Factors; D013019:South Africa
chemical_list: D007648:Kerosene; D010575:Pesticides