POISONS AND ANTIDOTES.
General Treatment.—Eliminate if possible by emetics, as zinc sulphate, 10 to 20 grains; copper sulphate, 5 grains; or hypodermic injection of apomorphin, ⅒ grain. Use stomach-pump or -tube where vomiting cannot be produced, observing great care if irritant poison has caused injury to tissues. In cardiac failure give stimulants. In narcosis keep patient awake. In threatened paralysis of respiratory movements use alternate hot and cold spray to chest, slapping, and artificial respiration. Ammonia, atropin, caffein, and strychnin are useful respiratory stimulants.
Acetanilid.—Emetic; rest in recumbent position; stimulants—ammonia and strychnin; artificial respiration; oxygen inhalations; external heat.
Acid, Carbolic.—Alcohol or Epsom salt as an antidote. Three or four ounces of diluted alcohol, followed by lavage with a solution of Epsom salt; external heat; demulcents; stimulants hypodermically.
Acid, Hydrocyanic.—Fresh air; artificial respiration; oxygen inhalations; ammonia by inhalation and by intravenous injection.
Acid, Oxalic.—Chalk or lime as an antidote; demulcents, like oil or egg-albumin.
Acids, Mineral.—Chalk, magnesia, soap, or white-wash from wall to neutralize poison; demulcent drinks—bland oils or egg-white; stimulants hypodermically.
Aconite.—Recumbent position; empty stomach with pump with patient flat on back; external heat; stimulants—alcohol, ammonia, strychnin—hypodermically.
Ammonia.—Vinegar with lemon-juice to neutralize the poison; white of egg or oil to allay irritation.
Anilin Dyes.—Give plenty of warm water to induce emesis; place patient in recumbent position; loosen clothing and permit free circulation of fresh air.
Antimony (Tartar Emetic).—Tannic acid as an antidote; use stomach-pump; external heat; stimulants.
Antipyrin.—Same as Acetanilid.
Arsenic.—Stomach-pump or an emetic; freshly precipitated ferric hydrate (tablespoonful every ten minutes) made by adding magnesia to any iron solution; demulcents—oil or egg-albumin.
Atropin.—Same as Belladonna.
Belladonna.—Emetic or stomach-pump; tannic acid as an antidote; cold to head; enema of warm black coffee.
Camphor.—Empty the stomach; apply a hot-water bag to the abdomen, and stimulate the patient if necessary.
Cantharides.—Emetic or stomach-pump; egg-white; mucilaginous drinks in abundance; avoid all oily substances.
Chloroform.—Withdrawal of drug; lowering of head; pulling tongue forward; artificial respiration; stimulants—strychnin, digitalis, ammonia.
Cocain.—Empty the stomach by means of the stomach-pump or an emetic. Stimulate patient and administer artificial respiration.
Colchicum.—Stomach-pump or emetic; external heat; white of egg; stimulants; opium for pain.
Copper Sulphate.—Yellow prussiate of potassium, soap, or magnesia; milk and albumin freely; opium for pain.
Corrosive Sublimate.—White of egg freely; milk; emetic or stomach-pump; opium for pain.
Creosote.—Same as Carbolic acid.
Croton Oil.—Emetic; mucilaginous drinks; opium.
Cyanide of Potassium.—Same as Hydrocyanic acid.
Digitalis.—Recumbent position; stomach-pump with patient recumbent; external heat; tannic acid.
Elaterium.—Emetic; external heat; demulcents; opium.
Ergot.—Empty stomach; copious drafts of warm water, coffee, or tea; quick purgative (croton oil); place patient in recumbent position; give hot sponge-bath and apply friction to the body.
Gas, Illuminating.—Fresh air; artificial respiration; oxygen inhalations; injections of ammonia and strychnin.
Iodin.—Starch-paste as an antidote; emetic; external heat; demulcents; opium.
Lead Salts.—Epsom salt as antidote; emetic; milk or egg-white.
Lobelia.—External heat; tannic acid; stomach-pump; stimulants.
Matches.—Same as Phosphorus.
Morphin.—Same as Opium.
Mushroom, poisonous (Toad-stools).—Emetics; atropin (¹/₁₀₀ gr.) hypodermically; castor oil; stimulants.
Nux Vomica.—Same as Strychnin.
Opium.—Stomach-pump or emetic; repeated lavage; black coffee enema; potassium permanganate (5 gr.) in tumblerful of water, or tannic acid as an antidote; keep patient awake with cold affusions or electric brush; artificial respiration; respiratory stimulants—atropin, ammonia, strychnin, cocain, caffein.
Phenacetin.—Same as Acetanilid.
Phosphorus.—Copper sulphate as an emetic; dilute peroxid of hydrogen or potassium permanganate as an antidote; Epsom salt as a purge; avoid all oils and fatty substances.
Potassa or Soda (Lye).—Vinegar or lemon-juice as an antidote; oils or egg-white; opium.
Ptomain Poisoning.—Empty the stomach by means of the stomach-pump or by an emetic. Apply a hot-water bag to the abdomen. Give opium or morphin to allay the pain and check diarrhea. Give a large dose of castor oil.
Rat Poison.—This usually contains arsenic or phosphorus (q. v.).
Silver Nitrate.—Solution of common salt as antidote; emetic; demulcent drinks. Silver nitrate stains on the skin may be whitened and their removal much expedited by the application of a solution made according to the following formula:
| Mercury bichlorid, | gr. v; |
| Ammonium chlorid, | gr. v; |
| Aqua, | ʒij. |
Stramonium.—Same as Belladonna.
Strychnin.—Absolute quiet; if convulsions have begun, do not use stomach-pump unless the patient first be etherized; tannic acid as antidote; inhalations of chloroform or amyl nitrite for convulsions; potassium bromid (ʒj) and chloral (gr. xxx) by mouth or rectum.
Tobacco.—Emetic; external heat; stimulants.