Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1896-01-08
cARBoLic ACID ANTIpoTE.
Discovery That Alcohol NalliAss ~ =
fest q the Poison.

Discovery That Alcohol 0ualt0e0 tho II
feet q the Poison.
On May A. 1898, about 1 80 O'Clock
p. M, Mrs. K, while dining, quarreled
with her husband, rushed up stairs and
swallowed an ounce Of liquid carbolic
acid with suicidal intent. Mr.. K. fol-
lowed his wife in less than IL 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
bureau labeled carbolic acid and recog-
nized its odor through the room.
Medical aid was Immediately sum-
moned, when two physicians promptly
responded, made hurried examination
of the condition and surroundings Of
the patient, who was in profound stu
por, with pupils contracted to pin
points, injected atropine to antagonize
the poison supposed to have been taken
and then used the stomach pump.
Demulcents-suc as olive oil, glyc-
erin, etc. - and imewater and sui
phuric acid were also administered with
the stomach pump about this time. and
an effort was made to waken the pa
tient with the faradic current, but
without result Mrs. K. was now allow
ed to remain undisturbed until $3.50 p.
m., when an attempt to restore her to
consciousness succeeded. On first awak-
ening she was dazed, rambled and was
unable to realize her position for few
minutes, but soon rallied and answered
questions readily. When asked what she
had used, without hesitation she replied,
carbolic acid and whisky, and that she
experienced but little pain or burning
sensation and declared she slept sound
ly, having pleasant dreams.
With the exception Of slight nausea
and depression of spirits for few days
she suffered little or no more inconven-
Sfence and made rapid and satisfac-
ss0ry convalescence, and has enjoyed ro-
bust health ever since.
The slight corrosive action and free
dom from pain experienced on the pres
ent occasion proved the value of her ex-
periments and suggests new and ell
cient plan Of treatment in carbolic acid
gOl6OulASS. IL A1lAttllS Ol CdAsA4 Rd1 10 "
carbolic acid and alcohol may be pour
ed oyer the back of the hand, leaving
scarcely trace of corrosive action If
promptly washed off with alcohol. The
white stain caused by the liquid carbol-
ic acid can be removed by the immedi-
ate and continued application of alco-
hol.s In the case Of a young man who
came to my office suffering from intense
itching caused by spider bite applied
liquid carbolic acid, which stained the
skin white. This application was left
on the affected part until it caused Sc
we're pain, when it was thoroughly re-
moved with alcohol, followed by the ap-
plieation of pad of absorbent cotton
saturated with alcohol.
BY this means tie stain was removed
and pain relieved until heat was felt in
the pad, when both stain and pain dis
appeared. The heated pad was now dis
carded and replaced by one Of similar
kind, freshly prepared, when stain and
pain vanished q second time, to return
with heat in the pad. This phenomenon
continued as long as heat developed in
the pad and ceased when it was NO lon
ger evolved. The only result besides re-
lieving the itching was an intense red
ness of the skin over the affected area,
which disappeared in q few days. at
tended by desquamation Of the cuticle.
This case also affords striking illus
tration Of the resemblance in the symp-
toms produced to carbolic acid and OPT
um poisoning. The diagnostic feature
in the present case was the quiet and
regular breathing.
Alcohol, apart from its power as an
antidote, is required as stimulant in
the majority of cases Of carbolic acid
poisoning, to combat the intense depres-
sion usually experienced, and it would
therefore appear as if alcohol were q
true antidote in carbolic acid poisoning.
Modica1 Racord