Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-12-04
CARBOLIC ACID ANTIDOTE.
Discovery That Alcohol NulliGcs the
Effect of the Poison.


DR.. Donald b. Fraser IN the Medical Record.
On May 4, 1893. about 80 pm, Mrs. X,
while dining, quarreled with her husband,
| rushed up stairs and swallowed an ounce of
liquid carbolic acid with suicidal intent Mr..
" followed his wife in less than fifteen
minutes, to find her lying on the floor in a
deep sleep, from which he could not rouse
her. He noticed an empty bottle on the bu-
reau labeled carbolic acid, and felt its odor
through the room.
Medical aid was Immediately summoned.
when two physicians promptly responded,
made hurried examination of the condition
and surroundings of the patient, who was in
a profound stupor, with pupils contracted to
pin points, injected atropine to antagonize
the poison supposed to have been taken, and
then used the stomach pump.
Demulcents-Such as olive OIL glycerine,
&c.-and lime water and sulphuric acid were
also administered with the stomach pump
about this time. and effort was made to
waken the patient with the faradic current,
but without result Mrs. WAS now al
lowed to remain undisturbed until 9:so PM.
when an attempt to restore her to conscious
ness succeeded. On first awakening she was
dazed. rambled and was unable to realize
her position for few minutes but soon rail-
lied and answered questions readily When
asked what she had used, without hesitation
she replied carbolc acid and whisky, and
| that she experienced but little pain or burn
ing sensation and declared she slept soundly,
having pleasant dreams.
With the exception of slight nausea and
depression of spirits for few days she suf-
| fercd little or no more Inconvenience. and
made rapid ard satisfactory conva-
| lescence. enjoying robust health ever since.
The slight corrosive action and freedom
| from pain experienced the present &C.
casion proved the value of her experiments
| and suggests a new and efficient plan Of
treatment in carbolic acid poisoning. A mix
ClrbOliC acid 2lCO-
| hol may be poured over the back of the hand,
| leaving scarcely a trace Of corrosive action
| If promptly washed off with alcohol The
| white stain caused by the liquid carbolic
| acid can be removed by the immediate and
continued application of alcohol In the
case of young man who came to my ofhce
suffering from intense itching caused by a
spider bite l applied liquid carbolic acid
which stained the skin white This applica-
ton was left on the affected part until 1t
caused severe pain. when ii was thoroughly
removed with alcohol, followed by the appli-
cation of a pad of absorbent cotton satu-
rated with alcohol.
BY this means the stain was removed and
pain relieved until heat was felt in the pad.
when both stain and pain reappeared. The
heated pad was now discarded and replaced
by one of similar kind. freshly prepared.
when stain and pain vanished a second time,
to return with heat in the pad. This phe-
nomenon continued long heat de-
veloped in the pad, and ceased when IL was
no longer evolved. The only result besides
relieving the itching an intense redness
of the skin over the affected area. which dis
appeared in a few days, attended by des-
quamat ton of the cuticle.
This case also affords a striking illustra-
ton of the resemblance in the symptoms
produced to carbolic acid and opium poison
ing The diagnostic feature in the present
case was the quiet and regular breathing.
Alcohol, apart from its power as an anti
dote, is required as stimulant in the ma
jority of cases of carbolic acid poisoning, to
combat the intense depression usually
DerienCpd. would therefore
if alcohol were a true antdote in carboie
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