Recently paraquat poisoning cases are increasing, and vicious crimes such as suicides and accidental troubles are now serious social problems.
We experienced 59 paraquat poisoning cases for the last four years and the number of deaths were 39. We changed the treatrents of paraquat poisoning from September 1982. In consequence the lifesaving rate was improved from 7.1 percent to 42.2 percent. But the mortality of the paraquat poisoning cases is still much higher than that of poisoning due to other agricultural chemicals.
We made questionnaire inquiries about paraquat poisoning in the rural population in Kumamoto in June and July 1984. As a result of this investigation we found that they can buy the paraquat liquid easily but receive no explanation about the toxic effects. Moreover they neglect severe custody. These factors are promoting the increase of paraquat poisoning.
It seems to be dangerous to use the paraquat liquid without strong prescriptions. We hope administrative measures to be done without delay

The paraquat liquid is a kind of herbicides which have extremely high mortality rate. A few years ago, such crimes as the paraquat liquid is poured into soft drinks occurred frequently and paraquat poisoning became a serious social problem. And now the lower concentrated paraquat liquid is on sale.
We experienced 190 paraquat poisoning cases for the past twelve years in Kumamoto Red Cross Hospital. Although the treatments of paraquat poisoning were improved at 1982, the mortality rate is extremely high (63.7%) as ever. Moreover paraquat poisoning cases have not been decreased for the last few years.
Judging from the latest trend of paraquat poisoning cases, miss-drinking cases and accidental cases during agricultural works are decreasing. This fact shows improvement of the knowledge about paraquat poisoning in the population. However suicide cases are increasing. On the other hand, paraguat poisoning occurred in the same frequency between farmers and non-farmers. Moreover accidents by former products, which are discontinued selling, are frequent as before. From these facts, we feel sales control and supervision of the paraquat liquid is unsatisfactory. But the fact that former products were not collected and the use of them was not forbidden is one of more important problems. The lower concentrated paraquat liquid still have high mortarity rate (70.0%) in addition.
There is no certain treatment for paraquat poisoning. And paraquat poisoning include many problems which cannot be solved only by the consciousness of the users and the administrative advices. From now on, it is natural to make efforts to solve various problems we are faced. Moreover it seems to be necessary to reconsider the worth of the paraquat liquid for preventing social crimes, too.

The remarkable progress and spread of ultrasonic diagnostic equipment has maid it possible to diagnose various diseases more easily and quickly.
From August, 1983, we began to examine abdominal organs such as the liver, gallbladder, pancreas, kidney, spleen, and bile duct using ultrasonic diagnostic equipment in the Health Care Center. On the other hand, we began ultrasonographic (US) mass screening for the people in the rural areas and occupational areas from March, 1984.
We examined 9803 subjects in the Health Care Center and 11558 subjects in 23 rural areas and 15 occupational areas of Kumamoto Prefecture through June, 1986. Among these 21361 subjects, 6882 (32.2 percent) cases showed abnormal findings. Main diseases detected by US screening were gallstone, gallbladder polyp, liver cyst, liver tumor, renal cyst, renal tumor, renal stone, and so on.
In the Health Care Center we could find 23 cancer cases such as two gallbladder cancer cases, seven hepatoma cases, twelve renal cell carcinoma cases, one bile duct carcinoma case, and one gastric cancer case. The prevalence rate was 0.23 percent. On the other hand, 14 cancer cases such as two gallbladder cancer cases, three hepatoma cases, two metastatic liver cancer cases, four renal cell carcinoma cases, one transitional cell carcinoma case of the kidney, and one pancreas cancer case were found in the US mass screening. The prevalence rate was 0.12 percent.
By using ultrasonic diagnostic equipment, we can find many latent diseases which show no abdominal findings by the traditional screening systems. Especially the fact that we discovered many cancer cases and the majority of them were operated on in their early stage was highly important. If we had no chance to examine these patients by US examination, these cancer cases could probably not have been discovered.
To conqure various problems such as the training of examiners, the systematization of these thorough examinations as well as post examination therapy, and the education of examinees will difinitely contribute significantly to the effectiveness of the US mass screening method.