Suicide by burns: a tragic end.

Through the period of 20 months from May 1995 to December 1996, of the 759 patients who presented to the burn unit of Ain Shams University in Cairo Egypt, 23 had attempted suicide by self-immolation. 21 patients were females and 2 were males. The total body surface area burn ranged between 15 to 95% with a mean of 45% and the mortality rate was 73%. Kerosene was used by all the patients to ignite the fire.