Citation

Sorensen B, Werner H, Asmussen CF. Burns 1977; 3(3): 166-170.

Affiliation

Hvidovre Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Denmark

Copyright

(Copyright © 1977, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The Burns Unit in Copenhagen, which serves the whole of Denmark, presents a report of all patients treated for coffee scalds as in- or outpatients during three 12-month periods commencing on 1 January, 1971, 1 April, 1973, and 1 April, 1974, respectively. The circumstances in which the coffee scalds were sustained are described and attention is drawn to essential parts of the coffee-brewing process where an alteration in the procedure will bring about a decrease in the number of casualties.

The course of a prevention campaign is also described--how it was carried out primarily and then followed up in order to evaluate the result. Furthermore, the possibilities of such pursuant prophylaxis are evaluated. An intensive information campaign resulted in the reduction of the total public expenditure due to coffee scalds during 1973-1974 to 30 per cent of its 1971 level, whereas the expenditure in 1974-1975 increased to 85 per cent of the 1971 figure. The causes of the accidents were alike in the three series, showing that the information campaign in this respect had little effect. As a consequence of this study, the consumers' ombudsman has been approached and steps are now being taken to motivate manufacturers to cease production of dangerous coffee filter-funnels.