Background: Formaldehyde can be toxic, allergenic and carcinogenic. Evaporation of formaldehyde from formalin-treated cadavers in the anatomy dissection rooms can produce high exposure. This study was conducted to assess acute and chronic toxic effects of formalin-treated cadavers on medical students, staff members, and workers at the Anatomy department in the Alexandria Faculty of Medicine (AFM). Methods: A cross sectional approach was adopted to investigate medical students (n = 454). Staff members and workers at the Anatomy department (n = 16), and unexposed staff members and workers in the AFM (n = 19) were included in the study. Medical students filled self-administered predesigned questionnaire. Formalin-exposed and unexposed staff members filled a questionnaire and a Complete Blood Count was done for them. Results: The most frequently reported symptoms by medical students were unpleasant smell (91.2%), itching in the eyes (81.3%), and excessive lacrimation (76.1%). Majority of them reported duration of relief within one hour (>80%), and more than two thirds reported wearing laboratory coats and hand gloves. Formalin-exposed staff reported symptoms of skin disorders as drying (75%), eczema (68.8%), and allergic contact dermatitis (87.5%), besides, eye irritation (68.8%), respiratory tract irritation (93.8%), and workrelated bronchial asthma (53.3%). The mean RBCs and platelets counts were significantly lower among formalin-exposed staff (4.08 ± 0.65 Â 10 6 /ul and 237,375 ± 71745.73/ul respectively) compared with unexposed staff (4.95 ± 0.50 Â 10 6 /ul and 280473.68 ± 54456.27/ul respectively). WBCs count was abnormal (low or high) among formalin-exposed staff members (6.2%, and 18.8% respectively), while all unexposed staff had normal WBCs counts. Conclusion:The research highlighted the irritating action of formalin on medical students, and chronic toxic effects on staff members. This necessitates re-evaluation of the concentration of formalin, proper ventilation and assessment of working practices in the dissecting rooms at the Anatomy department.

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The aim of the study was to assess the relation between the three maturity indicators (CVMI, MP3, SMI) and the chronologic age in Egyptian adolescents. Lateral cephalograms and hand-wrist radiographs of 20 females and 15 males ranging from ages 9 to14 years were collected. The cervical vertebrae (C2, C3, and C4) outlines were traced from the lateral cephalograms and analyzed using the CVMI according to the method used by Hassel and Farman and the hand wrist MP3 indicators and Fishman's SMI indicators were used to assess the skeletal maturity of the subject. Results showed a strong correlation between the three methods of maturity indicators, however the correlation was stronger in the female sample. The chronological age was correlated with the maturity indicators except with Fishman's SMI stages in males. Results also showed that males tend to show early stages of maturity indicators in this age group however females showed all stages of maturity in this age group (9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14). It was concluded that females tend to achieve higher percentage of their skeletal growth than Egyptian Orthodontic Journal 2 Volume 33 -June 2008 males especially before 11.5 years and MP3 maturity indicators are more informative of the skeletal maturity in the Egyptian females. CVMI are more informative for the Egyptian males skeletal maturity.

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