Seventy-five adolescent sniffers of organic solvents were investigated to obtain epidemiological and clinical data.
There was no correlation between sniffing and personal or family madical history, but some relation to family circumstances.
The motivation for sniffing seemed to be related at first to pressure by friends or to curiosity, and later to seeking pleasure or relief from discomfort and anxiety.
There was a positive correlation between frequency of sniffing and various abnormal clinical findings, such as specific gravity of whole blood, red blood cell count, appearance of Mommsen's toxic granules in neutrophiles and neurological symptoms.
