ABSTRACT

Poisonings with various kinds of pesticides account for about 10% of all deaths caused by solid and liquid sub­ stances-a small but significant percentage of acute human poisonings. Since the mid-1940s more than 15,000 compounds, representing more than 35,000 dif­ ferent formulations, have been used as pesticides. The term pesticide is a general term that classifies these sub­ stances on the basis of their actions rather than chemi­ cally; the term encompasses insecticides, rodenticides, fungicides, herbicides, and fumigants. Because pesticides are manufactured for the purpose of destroying organ­ isms that are considered undesirable for one reason or another, it is not surprising that all pesticides are capable of producing harm to humans (1).