MEDICAL

Western Star, 5 December 1933, Page 4

MEDICAL

CASES OF POISONING.

METHODS OF TREATMENT. Certain poisons, such as carbolic acid and lysol, percliloride of mercury, usually known- as. - corrosive sublimate, iodine, opium, alcohol, strychnine and prussic acid and cyanide of potassium, need special treatment. Carbolic acid or lysol show much, the same. symptoms as corrosive poisoning. Give salts,, allowing one tablespoonful to a tumblerful of milk and water, then, follow with ordinary, treatment. The signs and symptoms of corrosive sublimate are those of an irritant poison, and that treatment must be followed, but first give white of eggs mixed with milk or; water; give as much of this as can be possibly taken. lodine produces the signs and symptoms of aii irritant poison; it brings art intense thirst, and vomiting may be yellow or blue. . Before' applying the . general rules of treatment give freely starch and water or. thin cornflour, and. arrowroot. Opium is a narcotic poison. It is first treated in the general way ; thengive ten grains—or as much as will lie oil a sixpenny pi^ce—of permanganate of potassium in a tumbler of - water. Repeat the dose in half an hour. Finally give hot, strong coffee. . Alcohol poisoning produces a flushed face, bloodshot • eyes, dilated and fixed pupils and marked lowering of body temperature. There is serious danger of collapse. Warm the patient, follow the rules for narcotic poisoning, and give strong, hot coffee;

DEALING WITH STRYCHNINE Strychnine is a fairly frequent cause of poisoning, because' it is' contained in so many vermin killers. The patient has a feeling of suffocation; the features become livid aiid there are usually; convulsions, in which the body is arched, resting- on head and feet-. Between convulsions the patient is in collapse'. Give an emetic, and between _ .convulsions perform, artificial respiration.' Carry out the general rules. Prussic acid and cyanide of potassium are -such" deadly poisons that very quick action must ’be taken. The patient becomes giddy, staggers, A and insensibility is followed by panting respiration, deep Collapse and sometimes' convulsions. A smell of bitter almonds is often present. Apply artificial respiration at once, even if breathing has not ceased. If the patient can swallow give brandy e>’ salvolatile diluted with an equal .quantity of water. Dash cold water cii the head and spine continuously, M'd cf-ny out the general rules of treatment | for narcotics.

LINGERING EPIDEMICS. WHEN COLDS BECOME CHRONIC. •We are accustomed to think fairly • lightly of the ordinary cold, but a'cold arising after measles,. particularly ;if it is prolonged';- ■is different. Sometimes these go on to chronic conditions, in which the.child is never free from a cough for long at a time, and when any exposure is. apt to set up an acute attack. Even when children liave -not suffered very severely from measles, whooping cough, or influenza, a persistent cough which they have left in their wake, sometimes causes ..anxiety. The child’s resistance, too, seems to be so lowered that he. is an easy prey to the first germ lie meets, and any minor deficiencies in his food seem to * tell upon him more than would otherwise be tlio case. .He catches everything that is going, and there is a persistent cough which he seems unable to shake off.

It is difficult to lay down rules for preventing such common disabilities, and the problem’ is more and more complicated by civilised life. For .curing the cough, , a bottle of medicine, and extra .clothing and coddling will not do. Every little patient who lias recovered from, measles, whooping cough, or ; influenza needs special care.

TREATING THE COUGH. The ordinary treatment for coughs ;and colds is summed up ip giving first a sedative, which slows down the activity of the process in order to allow the body forces to combat it, and secondly’, when the battle is thoroughly joined and the germs “stalemated,’ to give an expectorant mixture which helps to expel phlegm, and waste p"oducts. But this is 6f.ten not enough; the s'alemate continues, and fresh forces. must be thrown in. Cod liver oil and liquid extract of malt, or a good iron tonic are all valuable, as they help to increase the appetite, add iron to the system, and often work wonders. If the ccugb goes on, and there is much phlegm or cough in the morning, a very favourite mixture consists of three grains of potassium iodide and a half to two chops of creosote, with 20' to 30 minims j ot syrup of- tolu, made up to a dose for a child of five four-hourly with water, or, better still, with the addition of seme honey to hide the taste of-the creosote. ■Where there is lassitude, breathlessness, and other indications that the heart is labouring, complete rest in bed F or a while will often restore health thoroughly, while, tonic treatment with 'strych-nine-containing medicines .has a very definite value in such cases.