Chemical burns as assault injuries in Jamaica

A three-fold greater incidence of chemical burn injuries in Jamaican hospitals, compared to burn centres in other industrial countries, underscores the problem of the use of common chemicals for assault weapons in this country. With the increased availability of guns for personal use, many Jamaicans learned the value of carrying household chemicals such as sulphuric acid from batteries or sodium hydroxide obtained from cleaning supplies. Chemicals carried in a container, such as one might carry mace, afforded a means of defence among the lower socioeconomic groups who could not afford handguns. This use of dangerous chemicals for defensive weapons has extended to the use of chemicals for assault. The pattern of chemical injury differs significantly from most reports in the literature in both prevalence and aetiology. This review was prepared to examine these injuries with a view to planning strategies for prevention.