Drug Medical Information

HOME MEDICAL ADVISER: POISONING

Poisoning may be intentional or accidental. Most cases of accidental poisoning occur in homes because people are careless about what they put in their mouths. In industry, workers may be poisoned by a variety of vapors, gases, or powders which are inhaled. Intentional poisonings result from suicidal swallowing of drugs or poisons and from purposeful desires to eliminate people who trouble the murderer.
Chemical poisons number in the hundreds, and injure the body according to the organs in which they have their chief effect. They may do their chief damage in the mouth, stomach or intestines; or in other cases they may be absorbed, and act on vital organs or on the nervous system. The diagnosis of poisoning is difficult and demands a knowledge of various drags and their effects on the body. When a person is found unconscious without any recognizable cause and without the presence of fever or any injury, poisoning is suspected. Some poisons act slowly and others accumulate in the body when small doses are taken over a long time.
The work of the toxicologist, who investigates cases of poisoning, is fascinating; it involves all the techniques of the detective and research worker. He looks into the job of the person concerned, asks about those with whom he is in contact; studies his habits at home and away from home. Every secretion of the body may need to be studied in the laboratory, particularly material vomited, the urine, the sweat, and material from the bowel. Therefore those who first observe a case of poisoning should save all such materials for the investigator.
First aid in poisoning demands maintenance of life and stopping of the further action of the poison, if possible. Artificial respiration may be needed. The stomach can be washed in various ways.
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