ratings rose as the drug was withdrawn but subsequently subsided, suggesting that the symptoms represented a true withdrawal syndrome and not the revival of the original anxiety. Furthermore, the perceptual changes, such as intolerance to light and sound, unsteadiness, and a feeling of motion, are untypical of anxiety. Some patients have complained of strange smells and a metallic taste. Both our patients were originally taking other benzodiazepines before transferring to clobazam. They developed a typical syndrome on withdrawal of clobazam. We have not yet encountered a patient who has developed dependence on clobazam alone but would expect such cases to become apparent in due course.

No abstract

Five patients who were severely poisoned with hypnotic drugs, paracetamol, or theophylline were treated by charcoal haemoperfusion. The device contained 160 g of activated carbon beads with a polyester coating. Four patients made a significant improvement; one subsequently died from a cerebral haemorrhage which had occurred prior to haemoperfusion. Platelet losses were minimal and no fibrinolysis was observed. No significant biochemical abnormality occurred as a result of haemoperfusion, although one patient, who presented with hypocalcaemia, required intravenous calcium throughout the procedure.