Status asthmaticus in a paramedic following exposure to a roadside flare: a case report.

Highway flares are commonly used by police and emergency service workers to divert traffic away from roadside accidents. We report a case of a 35-yr-old paramedic who developed a sudden, severe asthmatic reaction following a brief exposure to such a flare, necessitating intubation and a prolonged hospitalization.

Comparison of the reluctance of house staff of metropolitan and suburban hospitals to perform mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.

Background: Although performing mouth-to-mouth resuscitation (MMR) during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is an effective lifesaving procedure, both the general public and physicians are often unwilling to perform CPR. Fear of contracting infectious diseases, especially AIDS, is often stated as the reason for this reluctance. However, the likelihood of saving a life usually outweighs the chance of contracting an infectious disease, especially when victims are considered to be at low risk for being HIV+ and are in communities with low incidences of HIV antibodies.

Heroin bodypacking.

Drug smuggling by internal bodily concealment is a well-recognized international problem, particularly in view of the difficulty of its detection and the potential for large financial gains. This mode of transport can have serious medical complications, including drug intoxication--sometimes fatal--as well as intestinal obstruction by foreign bodies (FBs). We discuss a case of heroin 'bodypacking' (the ingestion of heroin filled condoms) with its resultant complications.