POISONING DUE TO LYE

Abstract

Corrosive burns of the esophagus constitute one of the most difficult problems in pediatric practice.¹ Lye is used by poor people as a detergent and in the home manufacture of soap. These people do not realize until it is too late that a solution of lye which will "eat the stains from the boiling kettle" will have a much more dire effect on the oral or esophageal mucosa. As shown by the following series, in 86 per cent of the instances of the accidental use of lye the blame could be directly placed on an adult who carelessly left powdered lye or a solution of lye in a familiar container within the reach of a hungry, thirsty or curious child. In 5 per cent of the instances a child was given a drink from a glass not known to have contained lye, and in 9 per cent the patient