POISONING

  Poisoning most often happens from chemicals and toxins that are found around the house or garage. It is extremely important to find out what kind of poison is involved and call a Poison Control Center, a hospital emergency room, a doctor, or paramedic for instructions. When you call these health professionals be sure to give them the name of the suffer, name of the poison, how much was taken, when it was taken, whether or not the victim has vomited, and how much time it will take to get the victim to the hospital. Give the victim as much water as possible to diluted the poison and cause the person to vomit if instructed to do so by the medical professionals.

  Do not induce vomiting when a person has swallowed a strong acid or alkali such as a toilet bowl cleaner, bleach, detergent, etc.. If vomited they may cause further damage to the throat and esophagus. Petroleum products, such as gasoline, kerosene, furniture polish, or paint thinner should also not be vomited as they may enter the lungs and cause pneumonia. Under certain circustances a poison control center worker or doctor may suggest a first aid emetic. The safest emetic is syrup of ipecac. An adult or children over 12 years may be given 2 tablespoons of ipecac. If a teenager is of low body weight give them a smaller dose. A child between the age of 1 to 11 should be given 1 tablespoon and an infant under 1 year only 2 teaspoons. This is to be followed by 1 to 2 glasses of water or milk.

   If vomiting does not begin in 15 to 20 minutes one more does may be given. After this do not repeat this method. Vomiting may be induced by tickling the back part of the throat with your finger if no ipecac is available or does not work. We the person vomits keep the face down with the head lower than the rest of the body so they will not choke. Seek medical attention and take whatever has been vomited with you to the hospital in container. Remember you ABC's, keep the airways open, maintain breathing and circulation with artificial respiration and CPR, if necessary. An unconscious patient should not be given fluids or emetics. Place the victim in the recovery position and keep a close eye on the ABC's until help arrives. If you have to take the victim to the hospital, place them in recovery position while traveling.

Food poisoning

    A common cause of poisoning comes from food. Acute food poisoning may be caused by botulsim, samonella, or staphyloccus bacteria. Not everyone who eats a impure meal will become sick unless the contamination is very great. Each individual has a different suseptibiltiy. Water that is contaminated with bacteria is also another major source. Acute food poisoning may be caused by botulsim, samonella, or staphyloccus bacteria.

1. Botulism is usually cause by improperly made home-can food. The symptoms include dizziness; dizziness, headache, blurred vision or double vision, muscle weakness, difficulty swallowing, talking and breathing. the symptoms usually appear within 12 to 36 hours.

2. Salmonella poisoning is usually caused by eating eggs, milk, raw or undercooked meat, poultry and fish. Salmonella poisoning can be very serious for infants, the elderly, and the chronically ill. The symptoms include; abdominal cramps, diarrhea, fever, chill, headache, vomiting, weakness. The symptoms usually appears from 4 to 14 hours.

3. Staphylococcus poisoning is caused by eating foods that have been properly refrigerated. It is often caused by meats, eggs, mild, cream-filled bakery goods, tuna and potato salad. The symptoms include; Abdominal, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. The symptoms usually appear in 2 to 6 hours.

Keep the victim lying down and warm. After the vomiting is over give the person warm, mild, fluids. Seek medical attention if necessary.

Materia Medica

ARSENICUM (3*). Attack begins with watery stool that develop into discharges of blood and mucus. Involuntary discharges of fetid foul. smelling matter, with great prostration. Great exhaustion after stool, face sunken, pale an feature distorted, burning thirst yet intolerance of water. Bowel movement preceded by restlessness, anguish, and pain in abdomen, stools papy, yellow, bloody, greenish, or more frequently, blackish, accompanied with vomiting, pain, excessive abdominal pain, burning in the rectum, tenesmus, followed by burning in the anus, palpitation, trembling of limbs and prostration. Vomiting and purging at the same time, small, dark offensive with exhaustion. Worse < at night and after eating and drinking. Worse < before, during and after stool.

BAPTISA (1). Adynamic, fetid, exhausting diarrhea excoriation. Stools dark, offensive, nauseous and even bloody, with colic and tenesmus or painless. Pain of hepatic region, esp. around the gall bladder. Papescent stool, with large quantities of mucus. Diarrhea from noxious effluvia. Diarrhea from bad water. Thinks he is broken or double and tosses about the bed trying to get pieces together, Delirium., wandering, muttering, falls asleep while being spoken to. < Humid heat, fog, indoors.

CARBO VEG (2). Diarrhea from rancid fats. Hot, moist, offensive flatus, with painful dragging towards sacrum and thence the abdomen. Meterorism with loud rumbling, better > from passing wind upward and downward. Feces escapes with flatus. Collapse, pulse weak, and intermittent, with cold breath. Wants to be fanned.

CHINA (1). Food poisoning from fish. Diarrhea, particularly after meal, at night, painless, early in morning. Undigested, frothy, yellow, painless, with undigested food, worse < night, after meals, from fruit, milk, beer, hot weather.

COLOCYTHIS (2). Food poisoning with atrocious griping, cutting pains, relieved by doubling up and hard pressure. Gastroenteritis, Dysenteric stools renewed each time by the least food or drink; jelly-like stool. Very angry and irritable. Ailments from anger. Cramps in calves. Contraction of all muscles.

IPECAC (2). Persistent nausea with all complaints, vomiting which does not relieve. Violent colic and tenesmus. Tongue is clean without coating, mouth moist with much saliva, with paleness and twitching of face. Stool almost black and fermented like frothy molasses. Worse < evening, tenesmus after stool. Constant nausea and vomiting. Dysentery with tenesmus, straining pain so great it nauseates, little thirst.

NUX VOMICA (2). Stools small, slimy, bloody, with urging before stool but ceasing after stool until the next stool begins. Frequent ineffectual urging, diarrhea alternates with constipation. Stool frequent, small, corrosive, offensive, thin, brownish-green. Back ache as if the back was broken. Worse < before the stool but better > after it passes.

PODOPHYLUM (2). Gastroenteritis with colicky pain and bilious vomiting. Stool is water with jelly-like mucus, painless profuse, gushing offensive. Diarrhea watery in the morning followed by solid stool later in the day. < in early morning, hot weather, during dentition. Constipation alternating with diarrhea or headache alternates with diarrhea. Adapted to bilious humour. Worse early morning, hot weather, during dentition.

PULSATILLA (2). No two stools alike, sour, green, then again bloody, one stool fetid another odorless, one containing fecal matter, the next blood. Before, rumbling and cutting colic, pain in small of the back. During chilliness in pain in the sacrum. After chilliness in the back, colic as form flatulence and smarting of the anus. Worse at night, after fat food, pork, fruit, ice-cream, tobacco, cold drinks. Worse in general in a warm room. Better > open air or a cool place. No thirst with putrid taste in the mouth. Suits tearful, passive, yielding females or gentle, soft men.

URTICA URENS (2). Ill effects of eating shell fish. Diarrhea characterized by large secretion of mucus.

ZINGIBER (1). Complaint from drinking impure water, Taste of food remains for long, especially bread and toast, Abdomen feels heavy like a stone. Acidity. Heaviness when awakening in stomach with wind and rumbling, great thirst and emptiness. Colic, diarrhea, extremely loose bowels. Diarrhea from drinking bad water with much flatulence, cutting pain, relaxation of the anus. Cramps in soles and palms. Frequent desire to urinate. Urine thick, turbid of strong odor, suppressed.