Mother, Nurse and Infant / A Manual Especially Adapted for the Guidance of Mothers and Monthly Nurses, Comprising Full Instruction in Regard To Pregnancy, Preparation for Child-birth, and the Care of Mother and Child, and Designed to Impart so Much Knowledge of Anatomy, Physiology, Midwifery, and the Proper Use of Medicines as Will Serve Intelligently to Direct the Wife, Mother and Nurse in All Emergencies.

by S. P. Sackett

Prussic acid, laudanum, alcohol, carbolic acid, acetic acid, ammonia, chloroform, creosote, iodine, phosphorus, camphor, or nitro benzole can often be smelled in the BREATH.

Belladonna, atropine, hyoscyamus, strammonium or opium cause the MOUTH and TONGUE to be DRY.

Arsenic, ammonia, cantharides, jaborandi or mercury cause SALIVATION.

Arsenic, antimony, corrosive sublimate, cantharides, digitalis, colchicum or colycinth causes VOMITING and PURGING.

Lead, colycinth, copper, or arsenic causes COLIC. Arsenic, antimony and lead cause CROUP.

ACIDS OF AN IRRITATING CHARACTER.

These include ACETIC, CITRIC, MURIATIC, NITRIC, OXALIC, SULPHURIC, and ARSENIOUS acids. Their irritating and corrosive character depend upon their strength and concentration, or the amount taken, some or all of them being salutary in small diluted doses. Their injurious effects are severe the moment they are swallowed, as they excoriate the throat and gullet at the time of swallowing. But antidotes will lessen their power on the stomach and bowels if given soon, and if given with the emetic will render the vomited matter less irritating. Their corrosive character causes severe pain, which may be followed by symptoms of shock.

Alkalies are the antidotes. Give some one that is at hand, either calcined magnesia, a solution of soda or soap, lime water or whiting. At the same time the emetics and alkalies are taken, give demulcents, such as milk, mucilage, gruel, flaxseed tea, etc. Of course the inflammation consequent on the poison must be treated.

Carbolic acid might be included among those above named; the same treatment would be proper, except that strong alkalies are ineffectual as antidotes. Besides emetics give milk, demulcent drinks, and carbonate of magnesia, with a little paregoric in water. Secure rest and warmth to the body, use counter irritants externally.

Arsenious acid is included in the above list. The antidote for this is hydrated peroxide of iron, recently prepared, and given in large doses. It is prepared by the addition of liq. ammonia to muriated tinct. of iron, or liq. ferri sulph., which yields the hydrated peroxide of iron as a dense precipitate; and this should be given in tablespoonful doses every five minutes until the symptoms are relieved. The nurse and attendant’s duty, however, is to give emetics and demulcents freely.