The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1885-08-15
POISONS AND ANTIDOTES.
How Life May Often be Saved by
Prompt Action.

prompt Action.
Poison may be defined as any sub
stance which when introduced into the
system or applied externally Injuries
health or destroys life irrespective OF
mechanical means or direct thermal
changes" Such is the concise and apt
definition of poison laid down in DR..
Quain's Medical Dictionary. The &C.
ton of poisons is twofold. being either
local or remote, or both. The local ac-
ton is generally one of a corrosive or
inAammatory nature, or is character
lied by its effects upon the nerves and
sensations. Although it is impossible
to deal with so vast subject in detail,
yet nevertheless it can not be denied
that general knowledge of some of
the most virulont posions and their an
dotes is not only subject of great in
terest to the public. but at times a mat
ter of life and death. By fair insight
into poisons and their antidotes, life in
deed may often be saved, when the de-
lay caused by seeking for medical ad-
vice would probably be fatal. The
purpose of this paper, therefore. will be
TO deal as clearly as possible with the
most general poisons and their symp-
toms, and to point ont such antidotes
as in cases of emergency may be most
readily employed. .s
An acquaintance with the leading
symptoms produced by certain poisons
is an important factor, for thereby we
may hope more rapidly to recognize the
especial destructive agency at work,
and thus to arrest its further progress.
Great. care. however. is requisite never
to draw a hasty conclusion from one
symptom alone, but to bear in mind
other signs upon which a correct dag
nosis can alone be based. MANY at
tempts have from time to time been
made with view to classify poisons;
but the most rational classification is
obviously that which is in accordance
with their special action. They NAV
therefore be divided generally under the
following heads--(D Corrosives; (2)
lrritants, and (O Neurotics.
Under the head of corrosves, corro-
sive snblimate stands foremost in i'm
portance. being the most typical of this
class. The effects are rapid in their de-
velopment, being well marked by a
burning sensation felt in the mouth and
throat, followed by agonizing pain in
the stomach The tongue and throat
have white appearance, and excessive
tenderness aud swelling of the abdomen
is noticeable. All authorities agree in
recommending albumen in the form of
raw eggs-both yelk and white
switched up with little water, as the
best autidote in cases of acute poison
ing from corrosive suhlimate. The al
bumen combines with the corrosive
sublimate to form an insolubie and COM
paratively inert compound. Should
eggs not be Immediately obtainable.
gluten obtained from flour, or wheat
flour alone mixed with milk or water.
may be given until the more reliable
antidote is ready. The chief of the cor
rosive poisons are the mineral acids.
sulphuric, nitric and hydrochloric: the
vegetable acids, oxalic, binoxalate of
potash Commonly called salt of
lemon and salt of sorreD, and |
occasionally in large doses tar
taric acid; the alkalies. potash
soda, and ammonia, with certain of |
their salts. such as pearl-ash Commonly |
called salt OF tartar), carbonate OF soda |
Commonly called washing-soda) and
carbonate OF ammonia; also various me- |
tallic compounds. including salts of |
zinc. tin, silver and antimony. etc. |
Poisoning by oxalic acid is a very com |
mn hfsA nh
cides, probably owing to the fact that it |
Is substance much used in household |
operations, and therefore readily OBJ
tainable by any one bent on committing |
suicide. In speaking of the action Of |
this poison, that renowned authority. the
late Sir Robert Christison, observes in
his splendid work on Toxicology: IF
person Immediately after swallowing
a solution of q crystalline salt which
tasted purely and strongly acid, is at
tackled with burning In the throat, then
with burning in the stomach, vomiting.
particularly of bloody matter, inner.
ceptible pulse and excessive lanc,lor.
and dies in half an hour or twenty
or still more in ten or fifteen
minutes, do not know any fallacy
which can interfere with the conclusion
hat oxalic acid was the cause of
1eath."
II is obvious in such cases that the
'hances of success in applying antidotes
lepend very much upon their immedi-.
tie employment. For the mineral acids,
ikaline bicarbonates, such as bicar- ,
onates of potash or soda (beking soda), k
halk or maQn0gia shOuld at once he I