OCR Text |
Show Antidotes for Some Poisons Arsenic, when taken in poisonous doses, produces, in half an hour, pains in the abdomen, often vomiting, thirst, often purgation and sometimes nervous nerv-ous shock and unconsciousness. The antidotes are milk, eggs, or best of all freshly prepared ferric hydrate, a chemical that is made by mixing tincture tinc-ture of ferric chloride with ammonia (spirits of hartshorn) or calcinated magnesia. The resulting substance should be washed two or three times by placing in a cloth and running water wa-ter through It. These two substances go under the official name of "ferri oxidlum hydratum cum magnesia, and can be procured at most drug stores. Carbolic acid, if taken In too large doses or in concentrated form, causes wb'te burned places on the lips and inside the mouth, or any place that It touches the skin. It causes Intense pain in the mouth, throat and abdomen. abdo-men. The odor Is very characteristic and may lead one to a diagnosis. It Is a heart depressant and if enough has been taken, the person soon goes into a stage of collapse and unconsciousness. unconscious-ness. The antidotes are alcohol in some form (whisky or wine or diluted di-luted alcohol) given in large quantities quanti-ties and then promptly vomited. In other words, wash out the stomach with alcohol. Lime water, magnesia and eggs are of some benefit and should be given If no alcohol Is obtainable. ob-tainable. Of course the general treatment treat-ment of poisoning, as to stimulants, etc., must be carried out. Phosphorus is a local irritant, causing caus-ing burning of. the throat and pains In the abdomen and sometimes vomiting. None of these symptoms may show until three or four hours after the poison poi-son has been taken. The odor of wet matchheads may be detected and the vomited material will sometimes give off a pale light (fluoresce) in the dark. The antidotes are crude turpentine and magnesia in milk, and hydrogen peroxide. Do not :;ive oil of any kind as It forms a compound with the phosphorus that !s more quickly absorbed. ab-sorbed. The strong aciiU cause death by destroying de-stroying the tissues, giving severe Inflammation In-flammation and swelling of the throat and perforating the stomach or intestines. intes-tines. The antidoles are dilute alkalies alka-lies of some kind as weak ammonia, soapsuds, magnesia, chalk, lime water. wa-ter. Haw egns may also be given. the burning of the mouth and throat is slightly relieved by oily liquids, as small doses of sweet oil, olive oil, or castor oil. These can be taken In any case of poisoning where there la burning of the throat, except in phosphorus phos-phorus poisoning. Strong alkalies have very similar effects to strong acids. The antidotes are weak acids, as vinegar, lemon juice, etc. The giving of oil often relieves re-lieves the pain considerably. Opium, in any of its forms, if taken in sufficient doses, causes stupor, contracted con-tracted pupils of the eyes and slow respiration, followed by a deep heavy sleep and unconsciousness. The antidotes anti-dotes are large qurwitities of potassium potas-sium permanganate in weak solution used to wash out the stomach, or strong tea used in a similar manner The patient must m.t be allowed to gc to sleep. Giving sunn? black coffee at frequent intervals, slapping with wet towels and freouent shockine- with an electric battery will assist in keeping him awake. Artificial respiration respira-tion may sometimes be necessary. Strychnine, the active principle in mix vomica, causes pains in the stomach, spasms or convulsions and death by over stimulation of the muscles mus-cles of respiration. It has a bitter taste even in very small quantities The antidotes are a weak solution o( potassium permangate, or large amounts of tea, used to wash out the stomach. The patient must be kept absolutely quiet in a darkened room. Chloral and postasslum' bromide injection in-jection often aid in the treatment. Belladonna and its derivative, atropine, atro-pine, cause flushed face, dryness of throat, dilated pupils of eyes, delirium and unconsciousness. The antidotes are strong tea or some other solution containing tannic acid, and potassium permanganate solutions to. wash out the stomach. Ptomaines give pains in the abdomen abdo-men with vomiting and pinging. There are no special antidotes, but the stomach stom-ach should be emptied and a purgative given. Stimulation is sometimes necessary.- |