BATTERY ACID - AN AGENT OF ATTEMPTED-SUICIDE IN BLACK SOUTH-AFRICANS

Over a 36-month period 27 black adults, who had taken battery acid in apparent suicide attempts, were admitted to a major South African gene ral hospital for assessment and treatment. There were no deaths. Patie nt features included limited schooling, unemployment and a male/female ratio of 2,4:1. Triggers were minor to moderate stressors (mainly dom estic arguments) in 23 patients. Nine had a diagnosable psychiatric di sorder and 5 required further psychiatric hospitalisation following di scharge from the general hospital. The reported high mortality rate fr om acid ingestion was not observed; however, 4 patients required surgi cal intervention to deal with stricture formation. The average duratio n of stay was 7,6 days. There were no repeat suicide attempts during t he study period.