No abstract

Methods for determination of PCP in body fluids are presented and a rapid screening method is suggested. The demographics, psychiatric profiles, forensic aspects, and diagnostic problems of PCP abuse are discussed.

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The medical records of 153 psychiatric admissions who were determined to be Phencyclidine toxic were analyzed for the presence of various categories of psychiatric symptoms. Aggression was observed during the hospital stay by 58% of the patients followed closely by bizarre behavior (55%) and anxiety (53%). 116 males did not differ from 37 females in observed symptoms but 112 blacks showed more bizarre behavior than 41 whites. Further analysis indicated that the black-white difference was due to the significantly higher incidence of bizarre behavior, aggression, and looseness of association observed among 26 black females than 11 white females. These results suggest that white females who are Phencyclidine-toxic may not resemble the often reported and frequently observed Phencyclidine-toxic patient who is violently psychotic and paranoid. This preliminary work requires systematic replication.

The medical and sociological aspects of T's and Blues abuse in New Orleans were studied to determine the effect of abuse on the medical and psychological status of the individuals involved and the sociological effects on the community in general. Sociologically, the most pertinent findings were an increase in the number of (1) deaths related to the use of T's and Blues, (2) arrests and revocation of parole for possession and/or sale of Talwin, and (3) a decrease in the number of arrests for the possession and sale of heroin. In the medical and psychiatric context of this study, three distinct groups of addicts were found of which the T's and Blues users were the largest. Psychiatrically, the most pertinent observation was the high (30-35%) incidence of paranoid, violence prone life-styles seen among T's and Blues users. This finding certainly is in accord with the increased homicide rate and T's and Blues related deaths noted in other aspects of this study.