Prevention of acute parathion and demeton poisoning in farmers around Shanghai.

After the occurrence of poisoning episodes among commune members who handled the insecticides parathion and demeton during the first few years of application in the early 1960s, a series of surveys was conducted and comprehensive regulatory actions were adopted. The surveys showed that the cause of most of the poisoning cases was percutaneous absorption of toxicant as a consequence of skin contamination during careless operating. As a result of a comprehensive program carried out by large numbers of administrators, health workers, and commune members, the incidence of intoxication quickly declined, starting in 1965, to a negligible level and has remained so to the present, even though parathion and demeton use has increased greatly. It is suggested that the experience obtained might be helpful to other areas in the People's Republic of China and in some developing countries.