Bhopal-A Case Study of International Disaster

This paper outlines what is known about the probable events leading up to the disaster in Bhopal, India, in 1984, wherein release of a gas cloud from an industrial plant killed over 3,800 people. It briefly reviews the toxicology of methyl isocyanate, a major component of the cloud; presents an overview of the acute and chronic health effects of the gas exposure from published human and animal studies; identifies some of the clinical dilemmas and medical management and epidemiologic issues being debated; provides an insight into national and transnational implications; and summarizes the lessons learned or not learned from this disaster of global significance.