Burns in adults in Zaria, Nigeria

From 1971 to 1981, 245 adults with burn injuries were admitted to the Ahmadu Bello University Hospital, Zaria. The burns were major in 197 patients, moderate in 28 and minor in 20. Socioeconomic factors contributing to the injuries included the use of wood fires for cooking, for warming the body and the dwelling during the cool harmattan season, loose indigenous garments, thatch-roofed huts, petrol hoarding and epileptic seizures. Flame burns exceeded scalds with a high seasonal frequency in both men and women during the harmattan. Scalds occurred predominantly among the women, puerperal hot baths being a major cause. The overall mortality rate of 22 per cent is excessive. General economic development, architectural improvements, proper handling of petrol and kerosene, modification or abandonment of the puerperal ritual of hot baths, the maintenance of chronic epileptics on anticonvulsants and a programme of universal active immunization against tetanus would contribute to the prevention of burns and complications in adults and decrease the mortality rate.