TREATMENT.
Use the stomach-tube or pump, unless there is great destruction of the mucous membrane. In the latter case, excite vomiting by injecting subcutaneously from 5 to 6 drops of the apomorphine solution; or give an emetic of zinc sulphate, ipecacuanha, or mustard.
The stomach may, by the aid of the tube, be washed out with a weak alkaline solution of soda; albumen may also be given, and such stimulants as brandy and water, chloric ether, and aromatic spirits of ammonia.
It is important to apply warmth to the extremities.
Inject subcutaneously from 2 to 3 drops of the atropine hypodermic solution.
Nitrite of amyl by inhalation is said to have been useful.
In desperate cases bleeding, followed by transfusion, is to be considered.
Acids—Mineral, including Sulphuric, Nitric, Hydrochloric, Glacial Acetic Acids.
Stomach-tube or pump, inadmissible.
Neutralise by calcined magnesia, lime, chalk, or soda, but not with potash, if there is choice.
If no neutralising agent can be immediately procured, then dilute with plenty of water.
Other remedies are—oil, milk, white of eggs, gruel.
It is often recommended in such cases to administer hypodermically a little morphine.
Use at once the stomach-tube or pump, or give emetics of sulphate of zinc, or hypodermic solution of apomorphine.
Keep the patient in the recumbent posture.
After the stomach has been emptied, give atropine, either by hypodermic injection or by the mouth, say 4 drops of the P.B. solution; failing atropine, 20 drops of the tincture of belladonna. The dose may be repeated more or less frequently according to the condition of the patient.
If there is great tendency to heart-syncope, tincture of digitalis in 1⁄2-drachm doses by the mouth, or in hypodermic doses of from 10 drops upwards.
Apply a mustard poultice to the pericardium; aid vomiting and elimination of the poison by plenty of water, to which may be added brandy or any form of alcohol.
Inhalations of nitrite of amyl are said to have been useful. If the breathing stops, try artificial respiration.
Alcohol.
Empty the stomach by the tube or pump, and then wash it out with warm coffee; if the stomach-tube is not at hand, then empty the stomach by hypodermic injection of 5 drops of apomorphine, or by a mustard emetic, or sulphate of zinc. Keep the body very warm, but the cold douche may be applied to the head.
Endeavours should be made to rouse the patient, if insensible, by shaking, shouting at him, &c.
Inhalations of amyl nitrite are said to be useful.
Alkalies—Ammonia—Potash—Soda.—Stomach-pump or tube not to be used.
Vomiting nearly always present, or may be produced by administering plenty of lukewarm water; after which give dilute vinegar, or the juice of lemons or oranges; olive oil, the white of eggs, barley water, arrowroot, and always plenty of water may be administered.
There may be œdema of the glottis, especially if ammonia has been taken. In such a case, and death threatening from suffocation, perform tracheotomy. In poisoning by ammonia, with croupous respiration, keep the room warm, and fill it with steam by means of a bronchitis kettle.
Relieve pain by small doses of morphine injected subcutaneously.
Ammonia.—See [Alkalies].
Antiarin.—See [Digitalis].
Antimony—Tartar-Emetic—Antimonial Wine, &c.
The stomach will generally have been emptied by vomiting. In those rare cases in which this does not take place, use the stomach-pump or tube, or give hypodermic injection of apomorphine.
Follow this with doses of strong tea, or give half-a-drachm of tannin or gallic acid in warm water.
Give also demulcent drinks, and stimulants in small doses, frequently repeated.
Keep the patient very warm by hot blankets and wraps.
The interrupted galvanic current to the heart may be useful.
Apocynin.—See [Digitalis].
Arsenic.
Use the stomach-pump or tube, or empty stomach by emetics, such as hypodermic solution of apomorphine, or give mustard or sulphate of zinc. The stomach should then be washed out by large quantities of water, most conveniently administered by the pump or tube.
If the tube or pump is not at hand, then administer at once either dialysed iron, or the freshly-precipitated hydrated oxide of iron, obtained by precipitating the ordinary perchloride by means of carbonate of soda or ammonia, avoiding excess of the latter. If the operator has sufficient chemical knowledge to precipitate the iron with fair exactness, so that there is no great excess of ammonia, or of sodic carbonate, then filtration is unnecessary. In other cases, filter through a handkerchief.
Oil, mucilaginous drinks, the white of eggs, and, if faintness exists, small doses of stimulants may all be given.
If the skin is cold, warmth must be applied to the body by means of hot blankets, &c.
Pain may be relieved by morphine.
Atropine—Belladonna—Tincture of Belladonna.
Empty the stomach by means of the stomach-pump or tube.
Give an enema of coffee.
Administer half a grain of pilocarpine nitrate; or, if that is not at hand, morphine or opium in suitable doses will act to a certain extent antagonistic to the poison.
A subcutaneous dose of muscarine may be administered instead of pilocarpine, but is not quite so good.
Hot water to the feet, alternate douches of cold and hot water are found useful.
If the respiration seems likely to stop, artificial respiration must be practised.
Belladonna.—See [Atropine].
Benzene.
If swallowed, then empty the stomach by pump or tube, or by the hypodermic injection of apomorphine; or give emetics, such as zinc sulphate, mustard, or ipecacuanha.
If the vapour has been inhaled, this is unnecessary.
Plenty of fresh air.
A subcutaneous dose of atropine, say 1-60th of a grain, or from 30 to 40 drops of belladonna tincture.
Alternate douches of hot and cold water to the chest, artificial respiration, if necessary. The heart to be maintained by mild interrupted shocks of the battery over the region of the heart.
Bichromate of Potash.—See [Chromium].
Brucine.—See [Strychnine].
Use stomach-pump or tube, or emetics, such as sulphate of zinc, mustard, or ipecacuanha; or, better still, hypodermic solution of apomorphine.
Give hypodermic doses of 1-60th grain atropine until the pupils dilate. This treatment seeming to fail, chloral in 10-grain doses, every quarter of an hour, has been recommended.
In certain cases strychnine has been used in hypodermic doses of 1-12th of a grain.
Stimulants and artificial respiration will probably be necessary in some cases.
Camphor.
Use stomach-pump or tube, or empty the stomach by emetics.
Hypodermic injections of brandy, inhalations of ether, the alternate hot and cold douche, warmth to the extremities by hot blankets, &c., seem to be the best methods of treatment.
Cantharides—Cantharidine.
Use stomach-pump or tube, if the mucous membrane of the throat is not inflamed; or, administer hypodermic dose of apomorphine, or give emetics—sulphate of zinc, mustard, or ipecacuanha.
Allay pain with morphine. Give plenty of water and demulcent drinks.
Chloral.
Use stomach-pump or tube, and, when the stomach is emptied, introduce by the same means warm coffee, or give a hypodermic injection of apomorphine, or administer emetics of sulphate of zinc, or mustard, or ipecacuanha.
An enema of coffee will be useful.
Keep the limbs warm.
Administer hypodermically 2 or 3 drops of the solution of strychnine at intervals of from fifteen to twenty minutes.
Rouse the patient by various means, such as shouting, shaking, flapping the skin with a wet towel, &c.
Inhalations of amyl nitrite are recommended.
Artificial respiration may be necessary.
Chlorate of Potash.
Use the same treatment as for nitrate of potash (which see, [p. 696]).
Chloride of Zinc.—See [Zinc].
Chloroform—(Inhaled).
Give plenty of fresh air, pull the tongue forward, and commence at once artificial respiration. If the heart has stopped, strike the chest two or three times very hard, over the region of the heart; this has been found occasionally to restore its beat. Apply the battery, but with a weak current only; one pole may be placed on the larynx, the other at the pit of the stomach.
Inhalations of nitrite of amyl are useful. The hot and cold douche may also be used.
Empty the stomach by pump or tube, or by emetics, such as 5 drops of the hypodermic solution of apomorphine, or sulphate of zinc, or mustard.
Give an enema of hot coffee.
Administer large draughts of water, which may advantageously contain a little sodic carbonate in solution.
Attempt to rouse the patient. Nitrite of amyl inhalations, and, if necessary, artificial respiration may be used.
Chromate of Potash.—See [Chromium].
Chromic Acid.—See [Chromium].
Chromium—Bichromate of Potash—Chromate of Potash—Chromic Acid.
Empty the stomach by pump or tube; administer a subcutaneous injection of apomorphine, or give sulphate of zinc, mustard, or ipecacuanha as emetics. Follow up by administering, suspended in water, calcined magnesia, or carbonate of magnesia, or chalk.
Demulcent drinks, such as barley-water, &c.
Cocculus Indicus.—See [Picrotoxin].
Colchicum—Meadow Saffron—Colchicum Wine, Tincture, &c.
Use stomach-pump or tube, or empty the stomach by emetics, such as sulphate of zinc, or mustard, or ipecacuanha; or, better than all, give a hypodermic injection of 4 or 5 drops of the solution of apomorphine.
Give tannin or gallic acid in 1⁄2-drachm doses, or strong tea or coffee.
Allay the pain in the bowels and purging by small doses of opium or morphine.
Keep the extremities warm, apply hot fomentations to the abdomen; stimulants may be used, give plenty of water and demulcent drinks.
Colocynth.
Treatment on the same lines as that for [Colchicum].
Empty the stomach by the pump or tube, or give a hypodermic injection of 4 or 5 drops of the solution of apomorphine, or emetics of sulphate of zinc, or mustard.
Keep up the temperature of the body by hot wraps.
Administer, as a drink, strong tea, tannin, gallic acids, or any harmless vegetable decoction containing tannin.
Stimulants may be administered.
If necessary, use artificial respiration.
Copper—Salts of.
Empty stomach by pump or tube, and either inject by the same means or administer white of egg in solution in water; if no white of eggs can be had, substitute milk; give plenty of water and emollient drinks.
Pain may be allayed by opium or morphine.
Corrosive Sublimate—Perchloride of Mercury—Nitrate of Mercury.
Empty the stomach by the tube or pump, and wash the organ out with plenty of white of egg, dissolved in water or milk. If the stomach-pump is not at hand, then give emetics, such as the solution of apomorphine, hypodermically, in from 4 to 5-drop doses, or a zinc sulphate emetic, or mustard, or ipecacuanha. Probably violent vomiting is already present, then stomach-tube or emetics are unnecessary: but, in any case, give plenty of albuminous fluids, such as white of egg in water or milk. If neither of these is at hand, chop any fresh meat up as finely as can be done in a short space of time, diffuse in water, and administer. Follow up with demulcent drinks, such as barley-water, flour and water, &c.
Pain may be allayed with a little opium or morphine.
Stimulants are admissible, if necessary.
Croton Oil.
Empty stomach by means of tube or pump, or give emetics of mustard or sulphate of zinc, or administer hypodermic injection of apomorphine.
Give 10 drops of laudanum every twenty minutes or half hour, until the pain and purging are somewhat abated, or else inject subcutaneously small doses of morphine at intervals.
Give plenty of demulcent drinks.
Two or three drops of essence of camphor in milk are useful.
Stimulants, such as brandy, ammonia, or chloric ether, are admissible.
Cytisine.—See [Laburnum].
Curarine—Woorari—Urari.
The poison is of course introduced by a wound; if any is likely to be still in the wound apply a ligature, suck the wound, and then wash it with a slightly alkaline solution of potassic permanganate.
Keep up the respiration artificially, give plenty of water and a dose of spirits of nitre, apply warmth to the loins. By these means the poison will be rapidly separated by the urine; and, if the patient can only be kept alive by artificial respiration for a little time, he may recover, for elimination is very rapid.
Cyanide of Potassium.—See [Prussic Acid].
Digitalis Group of Heart Poisons, including, besides the Digitalins, Antiarin, Apocynin, Neriin, Oleandrin, Evonymin, Thevetin, Scillain, Strophantin, and Erythrophlein.
Empty the stomach by the tube or pump, or administer a subcutaneous dose (4 drops) of apomorphine, or give a tablespoonful of mustard in water, or sulphate of zinc.
Follow up with strong tea, or half a drachm of tannin, or gallic acid in aqueous solution.
A very small dose of aconitine nitrate in solution (say 1-200th of a grain) may be injected subcutaneously and the effect watched; if in a little time it seems to do good, repeat the dose. On no account let the patient rise from the recumbent posture, or he may faint to death.
Stimulants in small doses may be given frequently by the mouth, or, if there is vomiting, by the bowel.
Ergot.
Use stomach-pump or tube, or empty the stomach by a mustard or sulphate of zinc emetic, or give a subcutaneous injection of apomorphine.
Give a purgative, such as a drop of croton oil, and assist its action by plenty of warm drinks.
Tannin and gallic acid have also been recommended, but are probably of but little use.
After the bowels have well acted, and the stomach has been emptied, give small doses of opium at intervals.
Dr. Murrell recommends 1-50th of a grain of nitro-glycerin every fifteen minutes.
The recumbent position is necessary, and the circulation should be maintained by warmth, and, if necessary, by friction.
Erythrophlein.—See [Digitalis].
Ether.—The same treatment as with [Chloroform].
Evonymin.—See [Digitalis].
Fungi.—See [Mushrooms].
Gelseminine.
If seen soon after taking the dose, use the stomach-pump or tube, or give a tablespoonful of mustard.
Administer a small dose of atropine subcutaneously, or give by the mouth tincture of belladonna in 20-drop doses.
Stimulants are admissible.
If necessary, use artificial respiration.
Rouse the patient by hot and cold douches.
Hemlock.—See [Coniine—Conium].
Henbane—Hyoscyamine.—The same treatment as for [Atropine].
Hydrochloric Acid.—See [Acids, Mineral].
Hydrocyanic Acid.—See [Prussic Acid].
Hyoscyamine.—The same treatment as for [Atropine].
Iodine.
Empty the stomach by pump or tube, or administer emetics, such as the hypodermic solution of apomorphine, or give by the mouth mustard or sulphate of zinc.
Give plenty of starch diffused in warm water, or in the form of a dilute paste; or give any farinaceous substance whatever, such as arrowroot, boiled rice, or flour, or thin gruel.
Inhalations of amyl nitrite have been recommended.
Pain may be relieved by morphine or opium.
Jaborandi.—Treatment the same as [Pilocarpine].
Empty stomach by tube or pump, and wash it out with tea or coffee, or give (as an emetic) a hypodermic dose of apomorphine, or (by the mouth) mustard or zinc sulphate; follow up this treatment by an enema, or a brisk purgative.
Stimulants may be administered, the patient may be roused by the hot or cold douche.
Laudanum.—See [Morphine].
Laurel Water.—See [Prussic Acid].
Lead—Salts of.
Empty stomach by pump or tube, or administer subcutaneously a dose of apomorphine, 4 to 5 drops; or give by the mouth a sulphate of zinc or mustard emetic. Follow up with half a drachm of dilute sulphuric acid, or half an ounce of magnesic or sodic sulphate.
Milk and albuminous fluids may be given.
Allay pain with opium or morphine. Treat colic with hot fomentations.
Meadow Saffron.—See [Colchicum].
Mercury, Salts of.—See [Corrosive Sublimate].
Monkshood.--See [Aconite].
Morphine—Opium—Laudanum and preparations in which the Opium Alkaloids predominate.
If taken by the mouth, give at once a solution of potassium permanganate and then empty the stomach, but, if taken by hypodermic injection, both these would be useless. The stomach in opium-poisoning is best relieved by the pump or tube, and should then be well washed out with hot coffee, leaving in the organ a pint or more. If the stomach-pump or tube is not at hand, a large subcutaneous dose of apomorphine (say 10 minims) may be given, or mustard or zinc sulphate, but there may be difficulty in obtaining vomiting from any emetic.
Attempt to rouse the patient by the battery, if at hand; by flips with a towel, and by shaking. In all books will be found the usual direction that you are to keep walking the patient about; but this treatment is questionable, and likely to favour the toxic action of morphine on the heart.
Ammonia may be applied to the nostrils.
Hot coffee may also be introduced into the bowels by an enema apparatus, or by a simple tube.
The alternate cold and hot douche to the head is good, but the body should be kept warm with hot wraps.
Small subcutaneous doses of atropine (say 1-20th of a grain) may be administered, repeating the close every twenty minutes, and watching the effect.
If necessary, apply artificial respiration.
Inhalations of nitrite of amyl have been used.
Muscarine.—See [Mushrooms].
Mushrooms—Muscarine—Poisonous Fungi Generally.
Empty stomach by stomach-pump or tube, or give a subcutaneous dose of apomorphine, or administer by the mouth either mustard or zinc sulphate.
Inject as soon as possible a subcutaneous dose of 2 to 4 drops of the solution of atropine; or, after the stomach has been emptied, give tincture of belladonna every half hour, in from 20 to 30-min. doses.
It is equally important to remove the remains of the fungi from the intestines, and for this purpose it is well to give a dose of castor oil, and to use an enema.
Stimulants may be given. The body should be kept warm.
Neriin.—See [Digitalis].
Unless the stomach has been already emptied by vomiting, use stomach-pump or tube, or give an emetic of mustard and plenty of water.
Inject subcutaneously a small dose of strychnine (say 1-25th of a grain of the nitrate), or give half a drachm of tincture of nux vomica.
Stimulants, such as brandy, chloric ether, &c., may be given.
Keep the body warm, but the cold douche may be applied to the head.
Tannin and vegetable infusions containing tannin may also be given, but it is questionable if they are of much use, unless any remnants remain in the stomach.
Keep the patient lying down for fear of fatal syncope.
Nitre—Nitrate of Potash.
Empty the stomach immediately by the pump or tube, or give a subcutaneous dose of apomorphine (from 2 to 3 drops), or administer by the mouth a tablespoonful of mustard, or a scruple of sulphate of zinc.
Dilute the poison, and attempt to wash it out of the system by giving plenty of water or mucilaginous drinks.
Apply hot fomentations to the loins, and keep the patient as warm as possible.
Stimulants that are likely to increase the kidney congestion are to be avoided.
Inhalations of nitrite of amyl have been recommended.
Nitric Acid.—See [Acids, Mineral].
Nitro-Benzene.
Empty the stomach at once by the stomach-pump or tube, and wash the organ out with plenty of warm water, to which advantageously a little spirit may be added; or give emetics, such as zinc sulphate or mustard.
Administer stimulants, either by the stomach-tube, as an enema, or by subcutaneous injection.
Keep up the respiration artificially, if necessary, and maintain the heart’s action by application of weak, interrupted shocks to the chest-wall, by means of the battery.
Rouse the patient by the douche.
Atropine subcutaneously has been recommended.
Nitrous Oxide Gas.
The treatment is the same essentially as for [chloroform] (which see).
Inhalations of oxygen may do good, but oxygen is very rarely at hand.
Nux Vomica.—See [Strychnine].
Oleandrin.—See [Digitalis].
Opium.—See [Morphine].
Oxalic Acid—Binoxalate of Potash—Sodic Oxalate.
Unless the patient has already vomited freely, empty the stomach at once by emetics of zinc sulphate or mustard; or the stomach-pump or tube may, in most cases, be used. If the acid has been taken, neutralise by chalk, lime water, or, better, by saccharated lime water; but on no account neutralise by carbonate of soda or any alkali, for the alkaline oxalates are extremely poisonous.
Assist elimination by the kidneys by giving plenty of water; apply hot fomentations to the loins.
An enema may be given, if necessary, to empty the bowels well.
Phosphorus.
Empty the stomach by tube or pump, and, at the same time, wash the organ out with water to which has been added a drachm of French turpentine, or give emetics. The best emetic for phosphorus is said to be sulphate of copper, 4 or 5 grains dissolved in water, and given every ten minutes until vomiting is produced.
In default of sulphate of copper, then sulphate of zinc or mustard.
Give 1⁄2-drachm doses of turpentine, floating on water or on mucilage, every half hour. Inhalations of turpentine vapour, much diluted, are also of service. The American and German turpentines are said to be of no avail. Probably the turpentine will freely purge the patient; but, if not, the bowels should be opened by a suitable purgative, such, for instance, as magnesic sulphate.
Physostigmine.—See [Calabar Bean].
Use stomach-pump or tube, or empty stomach by usual emetics, e.g., mustard, zinc sulphate, or apomorphine, subcutaneously.
Chloral, in doses of from 10 to 20 grains, may be given every half hour to allay or prevent tetanus, the effects being, of course, watched. For the same purpose bromide of potassium has been recommended. In severe cases, it may be combined with choral, 1 drachm of the bromide with 20 grains of chloral.
The best treatment is a subcutaneous dose of atropine (say 1-60th of a grain) or tincture of belladonna by the mouth in 20-minim doses, to be repeated every twenty minutes until the pupils dilate.
Potash.—See [Alkalies]
Prussic Acid.[991]
[991] J. Kossa, considering that potassium permanganate ought, theoretically, to act as a chemical antidote to potassium cyanide, by checking the paralysis of the respiratory centres, has performed some experiments. Rabbits were shown to be fatally affected in a few minutes by 0·01 grm. of the poison, but if, at the time of administration, 0·5 grm. of permanganate dissolved in 50 c.c. of water was also introduced into the stomach, doses of cyanide up to 0·1 grm. failed to cause death. Larger quantities (0·2 grm.) proved fatal under similar conditions, but the action of the poison was much delayed. Successful experiments were also performed with aqueous solutions of hydrocyanic acid containing 0·1 per cent. It is suggested, therefore, that, in cases of cyanide poisoning, 1⁄2 to 1⁄3 litre of a 3 to 5 per cent. solution of permanganate should be administered immediately (Vratch, through Nouv. rem., ix. 567).
Use stomach-pump or tube, or, if not at hand, an emetic of mustard or sulphate of zinc.
If the breathing has stopped, try artificial respiration and weak shocks to the heart.
1-60th of a grain of atropine subcutaneously is recommended to assist the heart’s action.
A brandy enema may be given, or brandy injected under the skin.
The body must be kept warm, but the cold douche may be advantageously applied to the head.
Salts of Sorrel.—See [Oxalic Acid].
Savin.
If the patient has not already emptied the stomach by repeated vomiting, and the throat is not inflamed, use the stomach-pump or tube, and wash the organ out with water, or give any one of the usual emetics—such as mustard, sulphate of zinc, or ipecacuanha.
If the bowels have not acted well, give a dose of castor oil; allay pain with small doses of morphine.
Scillain.—See [Digitalis].
Snakes, Bite of.
Suck the wound, and apply an alkaline solution of permanganate of potash.
In severe cases of cobra poisoning and other extremely venomous snakes, death threatening, the only likely means of saving life would be bleeding at one arm and transfusing blood by the other.
Ammonia may be given by the mouth, and also smelt.
In cobra poisoning and venoms which kill mainly through the respiration, the breathing must be kept up artificially; and, should there be signs of the heart failing, weak, interrupted galvanic shocks may be applied to the walls of the chest.
Lacerda’s plan of injecting permanganate of potash under the skin is not alone useless but mischievous, for it takes up time which might be more valuably employed.
Soda Caustic.—See [Alkalies].
Solanine—Solanum Dulcamara—Bitter Sweet—Woody Nightshade.—The same treatment as for [Atropine] (which see).
Stramonium.—The same treatment as for [Atropine].
Strophantin.—See [Digitalis].
Strychnine—Brucine—Nux Vomica.
Empty the stomach as quickly as possible by an emetic of mustard, or zinc sulphate, or by a hypodermic solution of apomorphine (4 drops).
The stomach-pump or tube inadmissible; for, if tetanus is present, it cannot be applied; or, if absent, it is likely to excite a spasm.
Place patient at once under chloroform or ether, and keep up a gentle narcosis for several hours, if necessary.
Darken the room, stifle all noise; if in a town, and opportunity permit, have straw or peat placed at once before the house to deaden noise.
If the spasms threaten the respiration, artificial respiration is absolutely necessary; and, to facilitate this, it would be justifiable, in a dangerous case, to perform tracheotomy, of course under chloroform.
Chloral may be given in place of chloroform, but the latter is best; the dose of chloral should be, at least, half a drachm, and if no effect is produced in half an hour, then doses of 20 grains should be given at intervals of a quarter of an hour.
If neither chloroform nor chloral is at hand, the juice from a recently-smoked pipe may be diffused in a little water and a few drops injected subcutaneously, and the effect watched. If there is a marked improvement the treatment may be persevered in.
Bromide of potassium in combination with chloral has been recommended.
Nitrite of amyl inhalations are said to be of use.
Curarine in a subcutaneous dose of one-third of a grain is antagonistic so far that it paralyses the voluntary muscles.
Sulphuric Acid.—See [Acids, Mineral].
Tartar Emetic.—See [Antimony].
Tartaric Acid.—The same treatment as for [Oxalic Acid] (which see).
Thevetin.—See [Digitalis].
Tobacco.—See [Nicotine].
Turpentine.
Empty stomach by tube or pump, or administer the usual emetics, such as mustard, or sulphate of zinc, or ipecacuanha, or give hypodermically 3 or 4 drops of the solution of apomorphine.
If purging is not already present, empty the bowel by enema; give plenty of water and demulcent drinks to aid elimination by kidneys.
Apply hot fomentations to the loins.
Allay pain with opium or morphine.
Veratrine.
Empty the stomach by the tube or pump, or give any one of the usual emetics—such as mustard, or zinc sulphate, or ipecacuanha.
Keep the patient lying down.
Stimulants may be administered.
An enema of hot coffee has been recommended.
Keep the body warm with wraps, hot blankets, &c.
White Precipitate.—The same treatment as for [Corrosive Sublimate].
Wasps, Bees, Hornets—Sting of.
An onion immediately applied to the part stung is a favourite popular remedy; but ammonia is better.
Extract the sting, if it remains in the wound.
Give stimulants, if necessary.
The only salt likely to cause poisonous symptoms is the chloride, which is used in the arts, and is the active principle of Burnett’s disinfecting fluid.
Stomach-pump or tube inadmissible. Give plenty of water, in which carbonate of soda is dissolved; or, if that is not at hand, carbonate of potash.
Eggs and milk should also be given.
Solutions of tannin, strong tea, and the like, also, to some extent, neutralise the poison.
The pain in the abdomen is to be allayed in the usual way—by hot fomentations and small frequent doses of morphine or opium.