APPRAISAL OF THE TOXICITY OF THE GAMMA ISOMER OF HEXACHLOROCYCLOHEXANE IN CLINICAL USAGE

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Abstract
SINCE the appearance of recent reports by Wooldridge and Cannon and McRae1 dealing with the use of an ointment containing 1 per cent of the gamma isomer of hexachlorocyclohexane (kwell® ointment, marketed by the Commercial Solvents Corporation) in the treatment of scabies, there have appeared several articles implying that this compound may not be sufficiently safe for clinical usage without further investigation. These reports have been largely refuted in the light of further investigation. Dr. James G. Sanders, chairman of the Benzene Hexachloride Committee of the National Agricultural Chemicals Association, investigated the published letter of Mobbs2 and found that the clinical implications contained in that letter could not be substantiated.3 Furthermore, plant employees in Mobbs's area, engaged in shoveling large amounts of the technical material containing the gamma isomer into fiber containers over a two year period, showed no signs or symptoms