Aluminium Phosphide Poisoning: A Prospective Study of 16 Cases in one Year

Aluminium phosphide, a commonly-used grain preservative, is being used with increasing frequency in cases of self-poisonings reported in India. This substance is readily available over the counter & is highly lethal: 6 of 16 subjects in this study died. The clinical features of this type of poisoning are discussed, together with the demography of the primarily male subjects. Ingestion of unexposed tablets of aluminium was associated with greater risk of fatality. 14 Ref. (NBB)