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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 13 April 2023
This is a sub-category of external deaths and includes accidental poisoning by a chemical, noxious substance, gas or vapour.
See also Map 38 Suicide/undetermined by poison.
Nearly three quarters of deaths in this category are of males. Rates tend to be higher on the western side of Britain. Rates are somewhat higher in poorer and colder areas more likely to have faulty boilers in use.
These are deaths that the coroner has judged to be genuine accidents. They might include such deaths as accidental overdoses, perhaps by misinterpreting the advice for taking a prescription or by taking the drugs prescribed for someone else.
Many of the deaths in this category are due to carbon monoxide poisoning. Carbon monoxide can be produced by faulty home fuel-burning heating equipment, most usually boilers. It is colourless, odourless and tasteless, making it difficult for people to detect. Symptoms of mild poisoning include headaches, depression, flu-like symptoms and vertigo. Deaths can be prevented by correct installation and the regular servicing of equipment and by using carbon monoxide detectors.
It is estimated that 20,000 people died due to the Bhopal disaster when 40 tonnes of pesticide were released into the heart of the city of Bhopal in India in 1984.
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