The Oregon Poison Center opened on January 2, 1978. It is open 24 hours a day each day of the year. It is staffed by nurses trained in toxicology. The Poison Center is funded by the Oregon Health Sciences University, the State of Oregon, and by donations. What is a Poison A poison is something that can be harmful if swallowed, spilled on the skin, splashed in the eye, or inhaled.
Children are frequently confused about what a poison is.
Over 1,000,000 children are poisoned every year in the United States. Children under the age of six are most often the victims of poisoning. One estimate suggests that there are 250,000 household products on the market which can poison a child. Many accidental poisonings occur when children are hungry or stressed or when there is a change in routine such as moving day, a holiday, or the arrival of visitors. Prescription medicines accidently ingested by children often belongs to grandparents.