Watusi (firework)
A watusi is a type of Christmas firework that is popular in the Philippines.[1] Its ingredients are yellow phosphorus, potassium chlorate, potassium nitrate, and trinitrotoluene.[2][3]
The ingredients in the firework are highly toxic, and ingestion can lead to painful death.[4] In particular, children have been killed by watusi fireworks after sucking on them or mistaking them for sweets.[2] The yellow phosphorus, the most dangerous component of the watusi, may explode and rip apart the esophagus when ingested.[5] The Department of Health is attempting to forbid watusi,[6][2] because it caused hundreds of children to die of phosphorus poisoning.[7]
References[edit]
- ^ Duncan Alexander McKenzie R.N. (11 August 2014). The Philippines: Dangers and Health Risks. Lulu.com. pp. 33–. ISBN 978-1-312-42625-2.
- ^ a b c Wallerstein, C (1999). "Christmas firework "sweets" kill hundreds of children". BMJ (Clinical Research Ed.). 319 (7219): 1222. doi:10.1136/bmj.319.7219.1222a. PMC 1117016. PMID 10550079. (PMC link)
- ^ "Warning issued vs watusi". Manila Standard. Philippine News Agency. 19 December 1994. Retrieved 4 January 2016.
- ^ Nestor Etolle (2 January 2008). "Man commits suicide by ingesting watusi". philstar.com.
- ^ "Watusi is dangerous". Manila Standard. Reuters. 12 December 1992. Retrieved 4 January 2016.
- ^ "DOH exec eyes ban on children from buying watusi firecracker". GMA News Online. 28 December 2010.
- ^ Michael I. Greenberg (2006). Disaster!: A Compendium of Terrorist, Natural, and Man-Made Catastrophes. Jones & Bartlett Learning. pp. 60–. ISBN 978-0-7637-3989-8.
See also[edit]
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