d, white or yellow; hiccough, copious stools, more or less
bloody, with great tenderness in the abdomen; difficult breathing,
irregular pulse, excessive thirst, while drink increases the pain and
rarely remains in the stomach; frequent but vain efforts to urinate;
cold sweats, altered countenance; convulsions generally preceding
death; nitric acid causes yellow stains; sulphuric acid, black ones.
Treatment: Mix calcined magnesia in milk or water to the consistence
of cream, and give freely to drink a glassful every couple of minutes,
if it can be swallowed. Common soap (hard or soft), chalk, whiting, or
even mortar from the wall mixed in water, may be given, until
magnesia can be obtained. Promote vomiting by tickling the throat,
if necessary, and when the poison is got rid of, flaxseed or elm tea,
gruel, or other mild drinks. The inflammation which always follows
wants good treatment to save the patient's life.
VEGETABLE ACIDS--ACETIC, CITRIC, OXALIC, TARTARIC.--Symptoms: Intense
burning pain of mouth, throat and stomach; vomiting blood which is
highly acid, violent purging, collapse, stupor, death.
OXALIC ACID is frequently taken in mistake for Epsom salts, to which
in shops it often bears a strong resemblance. Treatment: Give chalk
or magnesia in a large quantity of water, or large draughts of lime
water. If these are not at hand, scrape the wall or ceiling, and give
the scrapings, mixed with water.
PRUSSIC OR HYDROCYANIC ACID--LAUREL WATER, CYANIDE OF POTASSIUM,
BITTER ALMOND OIL, ETC.--Symptoms: In large doses almost invariably
instantaneously fatal, when not immediately fatal, sudden loss of
sense and control of the voluntary muscles; the odor of the poison
generally susceptible on the breath. Treatment: Chlorine, in the
form of chlorine water, in doses of from one to four fluid drachms,
diluted. Weak solution of chloride lime of soda; water of ammonia
(spirits of hartshorn) largely diluted may be given, and the vapor
of it cautiously inhaled. Cold affusion, and chloroform in half
to teaspoonful doses in glycerine or mucilage, repeated every few
minutes, until the symptoms are ameliorated. Artificial respiration.
ACONITE--MONKSHOOD, WOLFSBANE.--Symptoms: Numbness and tingling in the
mouth and throat, and afterwards in other portions of the body, with
sore throat, pain over the stomach, and vomiting; dimness of vision,
dizziness, great prostration, loss of sensibility and delirium.
Treatment: An emetic and
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