Advertisement
Brief Report
JAMA. 1979;241(18):1926-1927. doi: 10.1001/jama.1979.03290440048029

Magical Thinking and Imipramine Poisoning in Two School-aged Children

  1. Victor C. Herson, MD;
  2. Barton D. Schmitt, MD;
  3. Barry H. Rumack, MD
  1. From the Departments of Pediatrics (Drs Herson and Schmitt) and Pharmacology (Dr Rumack), University of Colorado Medical Center, and the Rocky Mountain Poison Center (Dr Rumack), Denver.

Abstract

Two young school-aged boys took an overdose of imipramine hydrochloride to help their enuresis. One child died, and the other required resuscitation. An office survey found that one third of school-aged children did not realize the potentially hazardous consequences of taking extra amounts of prescription medications. Physicians might be able to prevent similar needless tragedies by warning both the child and the parents of the unusual lethality of imipramine and other dangerous prescription drugs.

(JAMA 241:1926-1927, 1979)

Footnotes

  • Reprint requests to 60 Third St, Waterford, NY 12185 (Dr Herson).

« Previous | Next Article »Table of Contents

More in JAMA & Archives Journals