The effect of a lindane and mercury polluting incident on the health of a community: the Somerton Health Survey.

OBJECTIVES

This study sought to identify possible illnesses of people exposed to lindane and methyl mercury following a pollution incidence in Somerton, Somerset, UK.

METHODS

A self-administered questionnaire survey was posted to 1500 residents in three selected areas of Somerton to identify symptoms of possible illness over a 3 month period.

RESULTS

There was a 74% response rate. People living near the stream had higher levels of reported mental symptoms and itching skin than in controls. Poisoning as the cause of the mental symptoms was excluded as the individuals had normal blood levels of lindane or mercury. Other symptoms were no higher in one area than another or from one time period to another.

CONCLUSIONS

The survey, using controls in time and space, was able to explore, the pollution incident's contribution to the toxicity of residents and how this related to mental symptoms experienced by the residents.