Better toxicological awareness in Chennai
Chennai,
Nov
5:
For
a
society
bombarded
with
various
forms
of
poisons
in
the
air,
food
and
water,
a
set
of
precautions
can
go
a
long
way
in
preventing
complications,
which
sometimes
result
in
death,
P
Chandra
Sekharan,
President,
Forensics
International,
Bangalore,
said
on
Tuesday,
Nov
4.
Delivering
the
'Dr
C
R
Krishnamurthi
Endowment
Lecture'
hosted
by
the
Madras
Science
Foundation,
Chandra
Sekharan
called
for
better
toxicology
awareness
among
the
public,
as
anything
in
excess-whether
it
was
alcohol,
paracetamol
tablets,
coffee
or
even
water-could
have
fatal
consequences.
In
a
part-scientific,
part-instructional
talk,
the
forensic
expert
illustrated
as
an
example
the
avoidable
phenomenon
of
'well
deaths'
(persons
entering
unused
wells
die
of
asphyxia).
This
was
because
sedimentation
of
carbon-di-oxide,
which
is
heavier
than
air,
creates
a
critical
depletion
of
oxygen
with
fatal
results.
According
to
Mr.
Chandra
Sekharan,
the
Centre
could
in
one
stroke
eliminate
carbon
monoxide
poisoning
if
it
advocated
natural
gas
as
a
replacement
for
coal
gas.
Taking
a
cue
from
some
countries,
a
few
States
such
as
Delhi
had
initiated
the
phase-out
of
carbon
monoxide.
Among all substances classified as poisons, alcohol was the most ruinous and accounted for more deaths owing to direct toxic action than all the other poisons put together, he said.
OneIndia News