[Parathion poisoning].

This study shows our clinical and therapeutical experience in 48 cases of infant COFA intoxication admitted in the Intensive Care Unit of "Emilio Civit Children Hospital", Mendoza, Argentina in a periode of seven years. They were investigated to determine the presence of Parathion in blood and gastric washing with the sodium hydroxide qualitative method, and also cholinesterase was detected in blood with a colorimetric method (the monotest cholinesterase). Age range from one to ten years with predominance from 3 to 4 years; 27 were males and 21 females. In almost all the cases (90%) the toxic ingressed through several ways, and from 10 to 30 minutes appeared the characteristic signs: miosis and bronchorrhea. Clinically in 30 cases the intoxication was considered dangerous and mild in the others. The data obtained by laboratory techniques were diagnostic only in half of the cases. Atropine's sulphate was done to all cases until their recuperation, in doses from 2.5 mg to 20 mg. The evolution was highly satisfactory, only two died and two remained with seizures. Always had thanklessness and carelessness with the child from living together adults, who playing handle and waste the toxic. In two occasions the intoxication was familiar by contaminated food.