Does the human cornea contain silicon?
Normal corneas contain very low amounts of silicon. Longterm exposure to inhalative silicon dusts results in only very slightly increased levels of amorphous silicon in the cornea. However, silicon-containing particles accumulate in the cornea of silicotic individuals. Bricklayers incorporate more amorphous silicon into the cornea.
The study shows that the most common method of suicide in the elderly is poisoning by drug overdose. It raises the question about the quantity of drugs prescribed for the elderly, e.g. antidepressants, sedatives and pain killers. The study did not confirm previous reports that violent methods are used more frequently with increasing age.