Assessment and Diagnosis of Poisoning with Characteristics Features in Living or Dead

Abstract

Poisoning refers to exposure to any agent which is capable of producing an adverse response in a biological system. It may results into slight irritation, serious deleterious effects and even may cause death. Poisoning is common in the world including India but modes of poisoning varies i.e. it may results from the attempt of suicide, homicide and accidents [1]. High rate of accidental poisonings have been reported in children due to their inquisitiveness, inability to read warning labels, and inadequate supervision. At home, drugs or household chemicals are most likely the main cause of accidental exposure to children and adults [2,3]. Accidently ingestion of contaminated food, poisonous plants or animals and stinging and biting are the other causes of accidental poisoning in adult [4]. While, criminal poisoning occurs when individual or group of individuals intentionally attempts to cause destruction of life on others by using poison [5]. To harm a person criminal prefers to use poison as it provides him ample time to escape from the scene / spot. Homicidal poisoning is the killing of a human being by the administration of poison. Selected poisons are used for homicidal purposes because of their small fatal doses, tasteless and odorless properties, miscibility with drinks and availability, which are considered as ideal homicidal poisons. Financial (inheritance, insurance), personal (revenge) and psychological (a desire for power and control) factors may motivate the homicidal poisoning. On the other hand’ suicidal poisoning defines as the selfinfliction by poison with the intention of committing suicide. Availability of poisons in house or the working place is one of the factor which promote suicidal poisoning like, cyanide in electroplating units, pesticides are mostly available with farming communities, thiopental sodium nitrite in dyeing industries etc. [6]. Suicidal cases are being frequently reported in young people. Besides, barbiturates and benzodiazepines are usually used by the educated people. Anaesthetic agents like thiopental have also been reported in the suicide cases in few doctors [7,8]. On the basis of duration of exposure, sign and symptoms, medical practitioner can categorize the poisoning in fulminate, acute, sub-acute, chronic and sub chronic. Owing to the massive dose, death precedes very rapidly without any onset of symptoms is called a fulminant poisoning. In such poisoning the patient is appeared to collapse suddenly. Acute poisoning is produced either by a single high dose or several small doses taken over a short interval of time i.e. it may be seconds, minutes or hours, or repeated exposures over about a day when less. In acute are , the onset of sign and symptoms are relatively instantaneous and depends upon the dosages [9]. Delayed health effects of acute poisoning also should not be forgotten because sometime toxicity appears late even when people are no longer to the exposure of poison substance for many days, months or years. Therefore, sign and symptoms of chronic exposure varies due Abstract