The three main conclusions of an Oxford study of deliberate self harm in under 16 year olds (British Journal of Psychiatry 1996;169:202-8) were that paracetamol poisoning has increased (from 20% of episodes in 1976–81 to 55% in 1988–93), nearly 10% repeat the self harm within a year, and psychiatric referral should be made in all cases. Of 854 episodes in 755 patients, 801 were poisonings alone and a further 23 were poisonings plus self injury. Girls outnumbered boys by nearly 6:1 and only 12 patients were less than 12 years old. Clashes with parents were the most common problem volunteered.

In the early 1980s a group of young male orphan elephants was transferred from South Africa’s Kruger National Park to a smaller game reserve after their herd had been culled. They were reared without maternal input and lacking the discipline which older bulls are known to administer to young aggressive bulls in the mating season, and that, say elephant experts, may explain why there has been an increase in attacks on other animals and on people by these elephants in recent years (New Scientist 1996;July 20:5). In future the integrity of …