Vitriolage refers to acid attacks where corrosive chemicals like sulfuric acid are thrown on victims with the intention to disfigure or kill them. The chemicals severely burn the skin, often melting it and exposing or dissolving bones. Long term consequences of attacks include blindness, permanent scarring, and psychological and social difficulties. The damage caused by acids is extensive and largely irreparable, destroying tissue, blood vessels, and preventing normal appearance even with reconstructive surgery. Treatment focuses on immediate washing and application of alkaline pastes to neutralize acids, along with antibiotics to prevent infection and potential skin grafts.

1. Vitriolage
Dr. Radhakrishna G Pillai
Department of Life Sciences
University of Calicut

2. Acid throwing, also called an acid
attack or vitriolage
• A form of violent, criminal assault, defined as the
premeditated act of throwing acid
• Sulfuric acid (oil of vitriol), hydrochloric acid, nitric
acid, hydrofluoric acid or other similar, dangerous,
corrosive chemical substances, onto the body of
another human being,
• With the intention to disfigure or kill
• Perpetrators of these attacks throw acid at their
victims, usually at their faces
– burning them, melting and damaging skin tissues
– often exposing and sometimes dissolving even the
bones.

3. Acid burn -characteristics
• Severe burning characterised by discoloration or
staining of the skin,
• Brown or black in case of sulphuric acid
• Yellow in case of nitric acid
• Absence of vesication, red line of demarcation
• Corneal destruction or blindness

4. vitriolage
• The long term consequences may include;
– blindness
– permanent scarring of the face and body
– along with far-reaching social, psychological, and economic
difficulties
– The medical effects of acid and alkali attacks are so extensive,
– chemical injuries cause a type of tissue devastation, which is
unparalleled by any other form of injury or trauma.
– MELTS and destroys all tissue and even their blood vessels
– any attempts at surgical (plastic & reconstructive surgery)
reconstruction are almost completely thwarted
– Once acid has damaged the skin, a person will NEVER look
normal ever again
– Plastic surgery can attempt to repair minimally, but can NEVER
ever reverse this damage

5. vitriolage
• majority of acid attacks are aimed at the face
• acid attack victims also face the possibility of
septicemia, renal failure and death
• acid destroys the tear glands too, so the victim
will NEVER be able to cry even at their fate
• most cases, the victims are women
• People working in factories that make or use
Sulphuric acid
• Use acid for work – gold industry, automobile
batteries, paper bleaching

6. Treatment
• Immediate washing with water and soap
• Wash with a dilute solution of sodium or
potassium bicarbonate
• Apply thick paste or magnesium oxide or
carbonate
• Apply antibiotic –superficial & oral – reduce
chance of infection
• Skin grafting may be needed
• Eyes –wash with water- 1% solution of sodium
bicarbonate
• Use olive oil drops
• Eye drops containing antibiotics