Paraquat poisoning: Experience of Poison Control Centers in France

Seventy acute intoxications with paraquat have been collected in 11 out of the 17 French Poison Control Centers from 1970 to 1977. The main route of intoxication is oral ingestion and accounts for all the lethal cases (24). Accidental ingestion may be severe : 7 deaths out of 25 cases but suicidal intoxications have a more important morality rate : 17 deaths out of 22 cases. The addition of an emetic to the formulation of this herbicide will lower the severity of this acute poisoning and will be demonstrated by the survey of the next cases of paraquat poisoning.