The Blackfoot optimist. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1907-1918, 1915-10-14
FIRST AID TO THE POISONED

In poisoning, as the lawyers would
say, time is the essence of the contract.
Action should be quick. It is much
better to work with jumped-up things
than to let the opportunity 60 by while
trying to get just the right thing.
The first thing to do is to cause
vomiting. While somebody is running
for mustard and warm water. the pa
tient should produce vomiting by tick
ling his throat with his finger, or a
feather, or anything right at hand. AS
soon as the mustard and warm water
arrive. tablespoonful of the mustard
should be dissolved in glassful of
warm water and the mixture gulped
down. Then run a finger into the
throat. If this fails, give tablespoon
full of syrup of ipecac.
Unless vomiting has been free, and
in the case of powerful poisons, re-
be washed out. If there is fountain
warm water, the tip removed, and the
tube swallowed. When two-thirds of
the water has run out of the bag, it
should be dropped to point lower than
the patients belt and the stomach 81
phoned out.
If the patient will not vomit, hypo
dermic of apomorphine tablets will bring
results, As apomorphine tablets may be
had in the first-aid case sometimes, it
is advisable to give it before the physi-
clan arrives. There should be no hest
tation in doing this unless vomiting has
been satisfactory. The dose is one
tablet.
In treating poisoning, the first step
is to produce vomiting; the second to
give an antidote.
Some Of the more common poisons and
their antidotes are:
Alcohol: Coffee in large quantities by
the stomach or rectum.
Chloroform taken internally; Large
doses Of bicarbonate of soda in water.
Mushrooms: Twenty drops of bella
donna; repeated in half an hour if ne
cessary.
Opium: Tincture of belladonna, 20
drops; repeat in half an hour if neces-
sary; coffee in large quantities.; give no
alcohol, either in whisky, wine or
spirits.
Arsenic: Hot, greasy water; lime
(scraped from the wall if need beg !;
toOthpOwder; sweet oil; castor oil; lime
water; raw eggs, tincture of iron.
Strychnine: TaAnic acid; tea; bro
mide of soda.
Phosphorus: Sulphate Of copper, two
grains every five minutes; French tur-
pentine; magnesia freely.
Acids: Alkalis, soda, soap, chalk,
erayons, lime, toothpowder, eggs, milk,
oil.
Oxalic acid: Lime from the walls.
toothpowder, crayons. Do not use soap.
Carbolic acid: Large doses of EPSON
salts, Glauber salts, eggs, whisky.
Corrosive sublimate: Eggs, milk or
mucilage in abundance.
Caustic potash: Vinegar, lemon juice,
hard cider, eggs.
Lead: EPSON salts.
Lye: Vinegar, lemon juice, milk, oil.
Iodine: Starch, white of eggs.
Matches: Epson salts, French tur-
pentine.
The third step is to treat so much
of the effect of the poison as has not
been washed out or neutralized. Some
part of what are called antidotes is bet
ter called physiological opposites, and,
therefore, might be classed in after
treatment. In the main, after treat
ment consists in stimulation and pro-
lection against shock. In general
way symptoms should be met. For ex-
ample, if the body is cold, external heat
and stimulants internally are called for,
If the patient is disposed to sleep he
must be kept awake