Poison
======

For most poisons:
-----------------

Quickly flush the poison out by drinking large amounts of water.
Taking activated charcoal will help remove the poison through
elimination later in stool.  If you know the specific poison, see the
charts below for information on what to do.

* For an adult: Give 50 to 100 grams activated charcoal mixed with
 water.
* For a child: Estimate how much the child weighs and give 1 gram
 activated charcoal per kilogram of weight, mixed with water.

medicines for poisoning
<gopher://tilde.pink/1/~bencollver/books/no-doctor/32-meds-poisoning/>

Activated charcoal is an inexpensive and very helpful remedy to keep
in your medicine supply.

Do not give water, charcoal, or anything else to swallow to someone
who cannot breathe well or is losing consciousness.  Remember:
maintaining breathing is always most important.

Vomiting is not usually helpful for poisoning, and it can be
dangerous. Someone who has swallowed corrosive chemicals like acids
or lye, or gasoline, kerosene, or turpentine, or who is having
trouble breathing should never try to vomit up the poison.

If you do try to vomit, do so as soon as possible, within the first
few hours.  To encourage vomiting, touch the back of the throat with
a finger or swallow a spoonful of salt.

Prevention
----------

Keep all poisons out of the reach of children
<gopher://tilde.pink/I/~bencollver/books/no-doctor/images/jpg/
155px-NWTND_fa_Page_44-1.jpg>

Poisoning is preventable.  Label all poisons and medicines clearly.
Keep them out of the reach of children in high or locked cabinets.
Never use empty poison containers for food or drink even if you clean
them first.  Likewise never put poisons in bottles or containers made
to be used for food or drink.

Poison is a common method people use to kill or harm themselves.
Locking away poisons, guns, and other potentially deadly materials is
a surprisingly effective way to prevent suicide deaths.  For more on
how to help someone who wants to kill himself, see Mental Health
Emergency.

Mental Health Emergency
<gopher://tilde.pink/1/~bencollver/books/no-doctor/
24-mental-health-emergency/>

CHEMICAL POISONING
==================

Corrosives
----------

Corrosives
<gopher://tilde.pink/I/~bencollver/books/no-doctor/images/jpg/
100px-NWTND_fa_Page_45-1.jpg>

Acids or bases.  These chemicals burn the inside of the body.

Types of chemicals:


* Ammonia
* Batteries
* Acids
* Drain cleaner
* Caustic soda
* Lye

Signs of poisoning:


* Extra saliva.
* Pain in mouth, throat, chest, stomach, or back.
* Vomiting.
* Difficulty swallowing.

What to do:


* *Do not try to vomit.*
* Activated charcoal is of little use.
* Give as much water as you can. Get help.

Hydrocarbons
------------

Hydrocarbons
<gopher://tilde.pink/I/~bencollver/books/no-doctor/images/jpg/
70px-NWTND_fa_Page_45-2.jpg>

These are most dangerous if breathed into the lungs.

Types of chemicals:


* Gasoline
* Turpentine
* Paint thinner
* Kerosene
* Phenol
* Carbolic acid
* Camphor
* Pine oil

Signs of poisoning:


* Difficulty breathing.
* Coughing, choking, gagging.
* Fever.
* Seizures or loss of consciousness (passing out).
* The breath may smell like the poison.

What to do:


* Do not try to vomit.
* not give activated charcoal.
* Give a lot of water.
* Wash hydrocarbons off skin and hair and take off any contaminated
 clothes.
* Give help with breathing if needed and watch the person's
 breathing for 2 days.
* Get help

breathing
<gopher://tilde.pink/1/~bencollver/books/no-doctor/03-breathing/>

Cyanide
-------

Cyanide
<gopher://tilde.pink/I/~bencollver/books/no-doctor/images/jpg/
70px-NWTND_fa_Page_45-3.jpg>

Indoor fires can cause you to breathe cyanide that was in the burning
materials.  You may smell bitter almond in smoke that has cyanide in
it.

Types of chemicals:


Gets into air or water from use in: mining, factory work, animal hide
hair removal (tanning).

Signs of poisoning:


* Breathing problems.
* Headache, confusion, and seizures.
* There can be long lasting damage to the brain.

What to do:


* Do not try to vomit.
* Watch for breathing problems, and try to restart the heart if it
 stops.
* Using a paper mask when beginning rescue breathing prevents the
 cyanide from passing to you.
* Give lots of water.
* Can be treated with sodium nitrite followed by sodium thiosulfate.
* Hydroxocobalamin is also used.

no heartbeat
<gopher://tilde.pink/1/~bencollver/books/no-doctor/04-heartbeat/>
medicines for poisoning
<gopher://tilde.pink/1/~bencollver/books/no-doctor/32-meds-poisoning/>

Organophosphates
----------------

Organophosphates
<gopher://tilde.pink/I/~bencollver/books/no-doctor/images/jpg/
70px-NWTND_fa_Page_46-1.jpg>

These chemicals can stop breathing or cause other whole-body problems.

Types of chemicals:


Found in certain pesticides including:

* malathion
* parathion

Signs of poisoning:


* Slowing pulse, muscle weakness, breathing problems.
* Runny nose, crying, drooling.
* Seizures
* The breath may smell like fuel or garlic.
* Life-threatening problems can happen days after this poison is
 taken, and long-term nerve problems can happen weeks after.

What to do:


* Watch for breathing problems and give rescue breathing if needed.
* Atropine is an antidote.
* Give activated charcoal if it has been less than 1 hour since the
 poisoning.
* Wash skin right away and throw out contaminated clothes.
* Treat seizures with diazepam.

medicines for poisoning
<gopher://tilde.pink/1/~bencollver/books/no-doctor/32-meds-poisoning/>
medicines for anxiety
<gopher://tilde.pink/1/~bencollver/books/no-doctor/32-meds-anxiety/>

Herbicides
----------

Herbicides
<gopher://tilde.pink/I/~bencollver/books/no-doctor/images/jpg/
110px-NWTND_fa_Page_46-2.jpg>

Can be absorbed through the skin, by breathing it in, or most
dangerously, by swallowing.

Types of chemicals:


* Paraquat (Gramoxon, Cyclone, Herbikill, Dextron, and many other
 brand names)
* Glyphosate (Roundup, Touchdown, other brand names)

Signs of poisoning:


* Breathing problems (can happen days after).
* Mouth pain.
* Red or brown urine, or little or no urine (a sign that the kidney
 is failing--very dangerous).
* Large quantities can cause burns in the mouth and throat, stomach
 pain, and breathing problems.

What to do:


* Watch for breathing problems and give rescue breathing if needed.
* Give activated charcoal.
* Get help.

medicines for poisoning
<gopher://tilde.pink/1/~bencollver/books/no-doctor/32-meds-poisoning/>

POISONING WITH MEDICINES AND OTHER DRUGS
========================================

Iron
----

Iron
<gopher://tilde.pink/I/~bencollver/books/no-doctor/images/jpg/
60px-NWTND_fa_Page_47-1.jpg>

An overdose damages the stomach and intestines.

Types of Drugs:


* Ferrous sulfate
* Ferrous gluconate
* Prenatal vitamins
* Multivitamin pills or syrup

Signs of overdose:


* Pain, vomit or bloody vomit, diarrhea, confusion.
* Shock immediately or up to 2 days later.

What to do:


* Immediate vomiting may help
* Give lots and lots of water.
* Activated charcoal is not helpful
* Deferoxamine is an antidote.
* Watch for breathing problems.

medicines for poisoning
<gopher://tilde.pink/1/~bencollver/books/no-doctor/32-meds-poisoning/>

Paracetamol
-----------

Paracetamol
<gopher://tilde.pink/I/~bencollver/books/no-doctor/images/jpg/
70px-NWTND_fa_Page_47-2.jpg>

An overdose is poisonous to the liver.

Types of Drugs:


* Acetaminophen (Panadol, Tylenol, Crocin, and other brand names)
* Many combination cold medicines and pain medicines (read the
 label)

Signs of overdose:


* Nausea, sweating, pale skin, tiredness.
* Later there may be liver pain (right upper belly) jaundice,
 confusion, or bloody urine.

What to do:


* If you can get the person to vomit right away it may be of some
 help.
* Give activated charcoal and lots of water.
* Acetylcysteine is an antidote.

medicines for poisoning
<gopher://tilde.pink/1/~bencollver/books/no-doctor/32-meds-poisoning/>

Opioid medicines and drugs
--------------------------

An overdose can cause the person to stop breathing.

Types of Drugs:


* Morphine
* Heroin
* Fentanyl
* Methadone
* Opium
* Oxycodone
* Codeine
* Other strong pain medicines

Signs of overdose:


* Slow thinking, slow reactions, slow, shallow or stopped breathing.

What to do:


* If the person is breathing fewer than 12 breaths a minute give
 rescue breathing.
* Naloxone is an antidote.
* Do not let the person drink or swallow until she is breathing
 well.

rescue breathing
<gopher://tilde.pink/1/~bencollver/books/no-doctor/03-breathing/>
medicines for poisoning
<gopher://tilde.pink/1/~bencollver/books/no-doctor/32-meds-poisoning/>

Alcohol
-------

Alcohol
<gopher://tilde.pink/I/~bencollver/books/no-doctor/images/jpg/
50px-NWTND_fa_Page_47-3.jpg>

An overdose can cause the person to stop breathing.

Signs of overdose:


* Vomiting.
* Confusion.
* Seizures.
* Slow or irregular breathing.
* Loss of consciousness.
* Confusion, changes in consciousness, irregular breathing, and
 feeling or looking ill could also be signs of a diabetic emergency.

diabetic emergency
<gopher://tilde.pink/1/~bencollver/books/no-doctor/
26-diabetic-emergencies/>

What to do:


* Monitor the person's breathing and give rescue breathing if
 necessary.
* Turn him on his side to prevent choking if he vomits.
* Keep the person warm.
* If the person is able to drink, give rehydration drink.

rehydration link
<https://en.hesperian.org/hhg/
New_Where_There_Is_No_Doctor:Dehydration#drink>

> from NEW WHERE THERE IS NO DOCTOR © Hesperian Health Guides,
> 1919 Addison St Ste 304, Berkeley, CA, 94704, 1.510.845.1447,
> [email protected]

You are viewing proxied material from tilde.pink. The copyright of proxied material belongs to its original authors. Any comments or complaints in relation to proxied material should be directed to the original authors of the content concerned. Please see the disclaimer for more details.