Some Antidotes
For Carbolic Acid.—In case of poisoning from carbolic acid, give alcohol and water; or, if alcohol is not at hand, 1 tbsp. Epsom salt in a glass of water, or beaten whites of eggs in milk. Use hot-water bottle.
Treatment of Poisoning from Any Other Acids than Carbolic (Corrosives).—Give alkalies—baking soda, 1 tsp. in a cup water. Lime water, magnesia, whitewash diluted with water; even a tbsp. of strong soapsuds. Follow with beaten white of egg and milk, olive oil, coffee.
Treatment of Poisoning from Alkalies (Lye, Household Ammonia, etc.). (Corrosives.)—Do not cause vomiting. 1 tbsp. vinegar in a cup of water; lemon juice and water, half and half; orange juice; follow with whites of egg in milk, olive oil; flour and water; hot coffee.
For Bichloride of Mercury (Corrosive Sublimate).—Give beaten whites of eggs in water; emetic—warm mustard water (1 tsp. to cup); hot coffee. Keep patient warm.
For Iodine.—Give boiled starch, or starch and water, or flour and water. Give hot coffee. Keep patient warm.
For Arsenic (Irritant. See (b).).—Give an emetic; tincture of iron, white of eggs, coffee.
For Laudanum (Affects Nerves. See (a).).—Keep patient awake by walking. Give strong black coffee.
Dangerous because powder carries germs of “lockjaw.”
Wash the skin. Paint with iodine.
Apply vaseline. This loosens any bits of powder, which may be washed off the next day.
Absolutely every wound of this character must be treated by a doctor, who will inject anti-tetanic serum. (See [Chapter XII].)
Prickly Heat.
Rash, especially on young children, caused by heat. Wash with warm water and soap. Apply alcohol (one part to three of water). Dust with talcum powder. (See [Chapter X].)
Ptomaine Poisoning.
Symptoms: Severe nausea, purging diarrhea. See doctor.
Treatment: Vomiting is necessary. Give cup warm water in which 1 tsp. mustard is dissolved, or give 2 tsp. ipecac. Give castor oil.
Apply external heat—hot-water bags.
Give 1 tsp. paregoric, if you have it.
Sea-Sickness.
Cracked ice. The best preventive is to see the doctor a week before going on ocean trip.
Shock.
The word “shock” refers to the condition of nervous depression which follows any accident, or sometimes the sight of one’s own wound. The breathing is feeble; the face pale. Send for doctor. Place patient in lying-down position. Use hot-water bottles. Give hot coffee; aromatic spirit of ammonia. Gently massage or rub limbs toward body.
Keep body covered and warm. (Sec Chapter III.)
Sore Throat.
At night wrap a cloth wet in alcohol around outside of throat. Gargle with salt and water (1 tsp. to a glass), or borax and water in same proportion, or hot tea, or with the following—
Gargle:
- 2 tbsp. vinegar,
- 1 tbsp. salt,
- Water to fill a tumbler.
If persistent, see doctor.
Splinters.
Open wound with sterile needle. Pull splinter out from the direction it entered. Apply iodine or turpentine.
If under nail, cut nail in V-shape at point where splinter entered, before extracting splinter. Use tweezers. Paint the place with iodine.
A pair of extracting tweezers cost little, and should be in every household.
To make needle or tweezers sterile, dip in alcohol or pass through a flame.
Sprain.
If at all severe, send for doctor.
Elevate limb. Apply cloth wrung from ice water, or an ice bag, for several hours, then apply heat. Bandage to keep limb at rest.
Stiff Neck.
Rub with sassafras oil or with capsicum vaseline.
Stings.
Extract sting if it remains imbedded in flesh. Apply household ammonia, diluted with a little water, or solution of bicarbonate of soda (1 tsp. soda to 1 cup water).
Mud, wet salt, slice of onion, arnica, witch hazel, camphor are soothing. If there is much swelling, apply cracked ice. Apply spirit of camphor or alcohol to mosquito bites.
Strain of Muscles.
Apply ice-water cloths or an ice bag. If the cold fails to give relief in an hour, apply heat. Bathe with arnica, alcohol and water, and rest the parts.
Sunburn.
To prevent: Anoint exposed parts with cold cream, vaseline, or use toilet powder before going out.
Treatment: Never wash sunburn. Never open blisters.
Apply—
1 part lime water, 3 parts olive oil, shaken together in a bottle.
Sunstroke (Collapse Due to Exposure to Rays of Sun).
Distinguish between sunstroke and heat exhaustion.
In sunstroke the symptoms are: red face; rapid heart beats; headache; vomiting; fever; noisy breathing and sighing; stupor; no perspiration; unconsciousness.
Treatment: Send for doctor. Remove to cool place. Loosen clothing. Apply ice in a cloth, or cloths wrung out of ice water to entire body.
Give NO STIMULANTS—NO WHISKEY OR BRANDY.
Toothache.
See dentist.
Hot applications. Iodine painted on gums. Oil of cloves on cotton in tooth. (Be careful in using this.) (See [Chapter XI].)
Warts.
Apply a “corn cure” containing “cannabis indica.” Nitric acid may be applied, but it is so dangerous a poison that it is unsafe for children to handle.
See “[Hemorrhage]” for deep, bleeding wounds.
If surface is scraped, as from a fall in sand, wash wound with hot water (which has been boiled) and pure soap, such as Castile, and paint with iodine. Fasten a sterile gauze compress in place over scraped surface with a bandage or adhesive plaster.
See also “[Cuts],” “[Powder Wounds].”