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EDITOR,-We write to draw attention to complications resulting from the new "abuse resistant"' formulation of temazepam capsules. In the past six months we-have seen 15 injecting drug misusers (13 men, two women, aged 19-35) with severe complications of intra-arterial injection (10 femoral, five brachial) of "solid" gel temazepam. Patients prepared the capsules by removing the soft gelatin shell, boiling the "solid" gel centre with water in a spoon, and injecting the warm suspension. All described instant pain in the region supplied by the injected artery.

We present a prospective study of 1,074 consecutive hand problems which were presented to our Accident and Emergency Department over an eight week period. This number accounted for 1 in 5 of all accident attendances. Over 40% of these patients were males aged 12–29 years. Nearly half of the hand patients presented within two hours of injury. Over half the patients needed only reassurance or a simple dressing but 55 patients (5%) had to be admitted for surgery.

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