POISONS,

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 96, 24 April 1926, Page 21

POISONS,

ANTIDOTES AND TREATMENT,. COMMON DANGERS. (By PERITUS.)" Recently there have been several cases of poisoning of-children by caustic soda, and these and other cases make it advantageous for all families to have at hand a card of instructions, stating concisely such emergency measures as can be taken in the absence of medical aid. Nearly' everybody knows that large quantities of tepid water, salt and water, and mustard and water act as emetics, hnt it is not always right to promote vomiting; it may, indeed, be danger* ons. One day a few years ago I was called, within the'limits of the day, to attend three separate cases of 'poisoning. The first was the result of the of a katipo spider, the second poisoning by "wild" honey, and tho third was the ease of a delicate girl who had swallowed (neat) half a bottleful of Jeyes' Fluid. All three patients recovered, but the novelty (to mc) of two of fho eases caused mc some extra anxiety. Repeated doses of strychnine and free sweating relieved the victim of the -katipo; morphia and bromide _of soda ' stopped vomiting and convulsions dm to the mysterious "something" in the honey; and a mixture of glycerine and olive oil (equal parts) poured freely into the young lady, who thought Jeyes* Fluid a remedy for unrequited love, left her little the worse after a day's rest, although it is not unusual for pneumonia to develop later in such circumstances} q In all cases of poisoning, apparent recovery should not lead to neglect, for an every patient there is a possibility of 'relayed after-effects. Accidental poisoning usually implies a prompt call for help, wilful self-injury involves intentional delay, and perhaps i .-esistance to applied remedies. The general principle 'that aoids are opposed by alkalis, depressants by stimulants, and that quickly-given emetiea (with such, exceptions as are named hereafter) are of the utmost value, must be-borate in mind, but it is excusable to waste a .few minutes of valuable time in order to discover with reasonable certainty the nature of the poison, unless the symptoms fix that accurately. Of inorganic poisons, the commonest accidentally taken are those in domestic iise. The disinfectants, cleansers, etc., found in nearly every home, or in tte family medicine cupboard. To proluce vomiting, When permissible, salt solution two tablespoonfuls to half a pint of tepid water; mustard, one tablespoonful to half a pint of tepid water J' or three dessertspoonfuls of ipeaouanha wine (neat)j this last is uncertain, fc| effect. *i*

"Salts of lemon" (no emetio)' has fop its antidotes' chalk, "whitening," .lime, or lime water, followed by quantities) of milk. "Spirits of salts" (no large draughts of solution of washing 'soda, baking soda, lime, or chalk, or soap and water, freely given. Follow up with egg and milk, olive oil (shaken up in warm, water), or thick starch and flour gruel; carbolic acid, larga doses of equal parts of glycerine and olive oil, milk and white of egg, followed by Epsom salts—a packet in a pint of i warm water, or solution of lime. Creosote disinfectants are best met in. the same way. Caustic Soda or Potash.—No emetic Give vinegar (diluted at least I—2),1 —2), lemon juice or tartaric acid (teaspoonful to pint of water), followed later by milk, egg white, olive oil. ■Sheep Dip.—Emetic, quick as possible. Vomiting ended, then milk and egg arid alcohol. lodine.—Emetic, then baking soda solution, four teaspoonfuls to half-pint of water, and large quantities of starch water (cold). Matches are now supposed to be nonpoisonous (I have lost cases of phosphorus poisoning and doubt if they can be saved unless treatment is very prompt), but if a child sucks a bor where the matches are struck it is wise to strike the child where he may strike matches in later life. The side of the box tastes sweet, and possibly there ifl poison there. Of the organic poisons, alcohol, paraffin, mushrooms (?) and the toxins from bad food are the only likely things to be the cause of accidental poisoning.

In alcohol poisoning the engineer in the freezer gives ammonia in poisonous doses to "straighten up" the first officer before the "old man" sees him. At home you five carbonate of ammonia and hot "black coffee and a verbal stimulant.

Paraffin (which has a way of getting into beer bottles) goes down hot and stinging, but needs a quick emetic and very thorough vomiting to save the drinker from serious collapse.

False "mushrooms" are particularly deadly (I always invite a guest, and serve him first, when I eat mushrooms), and require rapid expulsion by vomiting or aperient if life is to be saved. Nature assists both. Cheese poisoning and poisoning by bad meat, fish, or tinned food, leave one to treat symptoms and help Nature to expel the organisms or their deposits

which have caused the alarming and dangerous signals the body gives. _ I attended a small child mysteriously ill, and as her breath odour was peculiar, filled her up with forced drinks of tepid water patiently poured into her reluctant little mouth. Presently up came the accumulated flood and therein a number

of what had been small cubes of cheese. Meanwhile, two miles away, an old colleague of mine was attending two or more persons reported to have "some kind of fever." These patients had (so I found from the shop) shared the cheese. The "fever" left them when the cheese

As to symptoms. —In corrosive poisonin"- there' is pain about mouth, throat, and belly; thirst; dilheulty in speaking and swallowing; skin pale and coldly clammy; pulse quick and soft; breathing abnormal; temperature low. Stains on clothing may help detection of poison. Oxalic (salts of lemon) and carbolic

acids burn the mouth white, and spirits

of salts, grey; but there is so much similarity in symptoms of what I must call domestic poisoning — as distinct from attempted suicide by special drugs —that it'is nearly always necessary to obtain some guidance from inspection of surroundings and evidence of patient or those present before definitely deciding what to oppose. There are two antidotes of general utility, one an absorbent. —animal chari coal —and the second a giver of oxygen—• permanganate of potash. The first 13 said to be a safe and useful help in all cases of poisoning, and the latter in all organic poisoning, not excepting bites of poisonous creatures and so-called ptomaines. The dose of charcoal is half an ounce and that of ;"Condys crystals," three grains (a mere pinch) in water sufficient to jg xeveafc A^k\\. m