Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1896-01-09

nAnanllc ACID aN11no1E
Discovery That Alcohol Nalliies the Ef-
fcct of the Poison.

On May 4, 1898, about ! 30 O'Clock
D. IN. Mrs X, while dining, qnarreled
with her husband, rushed up stairs aud
swallowed an ounce of liquid carbolic
acid with suicidal intent. Mr.. X. fol-
lowed his wife in less than 10 minutes,
to find her lying on the floor III 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 a profound stu
por, with pupils contracted TO pin
points, injected atropine To antagonize
the poison supposed 10 have been taken
and then used tho stomach pump
Demulcents-such rs olive oil, glyc-
erin, etc. - and lmewater and sui
phuric acid were also administered with
the stomach pump about this time, and
an effort was made 10 walIen the pa
tient with the faradio current, but
without result. Mrs. \. was now allow
ed to remain andisturbed until 8 80 o.
m, when nh attempt to restore her TO
consciousness succeeded. On first awak-
ening she was daZed, rambled and was
unable to realize her position fer 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
", having pleasant dreams.
With the exception Of slight nausea
and depression of spirits for few days
she suffered little or no more inconven-
fence and made a rapid and satisfac-
tory 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 a new and eff
| cient plan of treatment in carbolic acid
| poisoning. A mixture Of equal parts of
| carbolic acid and alcohol may be pour
ed 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 carbol-
ic acid can be removed by the immedi-
ate and continued application of alco
| hol In the case of 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 se-
we're pain, when it was thoroughly re-
moved with alcohol, followed by the ap-
| plication of pad of absorbent cotton
saturated with alcohol.
BY this means the 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 a 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
untidoto. Is required as "A stimulant In
the majority of cases of carbolio 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.
Medical Record