Many highly toxic weedkillers and insecticides containing organic and inorganic chemicals have been developed in recent years(1,2). They are being used indiscriminately in developing countries to increase crop production from limited land resources. Insecticides, plus the unsafe disposal of many industrial waste products are believed to have raised the lead, arsenic, cadmium, mercury and cyanide content of underground water. These are potential causes of chronic poisoning if drinking water contains a high concentration of these elements. Recently, sporadic cases of chronic arsenic poisoning were encountered in the northern part of Bangladesh and adjacent West Bengal, India. Concerned authorities in both countries have sealed many shallow tube wells owing to increased arsenic content of the water(3,4). Our involvement with 11 cases of chronic arsenic poisoning (CAP) with serious complications led us to compile this report.
