Occupational Medicine 1981;31:144-147
© 1981 Society of Occupational Medicine
research-article |
Long-term Effects of Acute Arsenical Poisoning*
1 Preventive Teratology Unit and TUC Centenary Institute of Occupational Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
2 Department of Clinical Physics, University of Glasgow
Students and others, each exposed to several milligrammes of arsenious oxide, AS2O3, at a single meal in 1943 in St Andrews, Scotland, have been followed up in a search for long-term effects. Opportunities for such a long-term follow-up of a large exposed group have so far been rare for acute arsenic poisoning, the literature referring mainly to chronic poisoning.
Well over 200 people were exposed, of whom 2 died of the acute effects. Many were students living in a University residence. Altogether 80 questionnaires could be sent to exposed persons in 1978, after 35 years, of which 62 were received back.
No long-term effects have been convincingly demonstrated. However, numerous rodent ulcers (basal-cell carcinomas) in one ex-student had initiated this study and the questionnaires brought to light a rodent ulcer in each of 2 further ex-students. All 3 had exposure to tropical sunshine for 36 months or more before any ulcer developed. It is known that inorganic arsenic interferes with the removal of thymidine dimers induced in the DNA by ultraviolet (UV) light, and that, in man, chronic arsenical exposure increases the susceptibility of the skin to UV light and increases the incidence of rodent ulcers and other tumours on exposed skin. The possible interaction of retained arsenic with UV exposure in these 3 persons is discussed but it is concluded that their rodent ulcers could almost equally well reflect the influence of UV light alone.
0Requests for reprints should be addressed to: Dr J. H. Renwick, Institute of Occupational Health, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham 15.