Control of insecticide exposure in employment; a guide to physicians for dealing with organic phosphates.

Increasingly larger amounts of the highly efficient and highly toxic organic phosphate insecticides, particularly parathion, tetraethyl pyrophosphate, and Systox (demeton), are being applied on California's farms. These insecticides have become an economic necessity to agriculture. They can be used safely when rigid precautions are utilized and when medical supervision is provided for employees regularly working with these chemicals. The demand for the services of physicians prepared to supply this kind of industrial medical supervision is expected to increase in California. The basic procedures through which effective medical supervision can be provided are outlined.