Most poisons taken in sufficient quantity are lethal. A poisonous substance may originate as a mineral, vegetable, or an animal and it may assume the form of a solid, liquid, or gas. A poison, depending on the type, may attack the surface of the body or, more seriously the internal organs . Poisons in humans are usually classified according to their effects as corrosives, irritants, or systemic poisons. Corrosives include strong acids or alkalis that cause local tissue destruction, externally or internally; that is, they burn the skin or the lining of the stomach. Vomiting occurs immediately, and the vomitus is intermixed with blood. Common or so-called household corrosive poisons include hydrochloric acid, carbolic acid, bichloride of mercury, and ammonia. Irritants such as arsenic, mercury, iodine, and laxatives act directly on the mucous membrane, causing gastrointestinal irritation or inflammation accompanied by pain and vomiting; diluted corrosive poisons also have these effects. Irritants include cumulative poisons, those substances that can be absorbed gradually without apparent harm until they suddenly take effect.
Systemic poisons act upon the central nervous system or upon important organs until they affect the respiratory and circulatory systems. These poisons can cause convulsions, or delirium. Blood poisoning, also bacterial in nature, is a condition that occurs when virulent micro-organisms invade the bloodstream through a wound or an infection. Symptoms include chills, fever, prostration, and often infections or secondary abscesses in various organs. Most poison gases also affect the bloodstream. Because these gases restrict the body’s ability to absorb oxygen, they are often considered in a separate category called asphyxiants, to which group ordinary carbon monoxide belongs. Gas poisons, however, may also be corrosives or irritants.
About 50 per cent of all human poisoning cases in the West involve commonly used drugs or household products such as aspirin, insecticides, and cosmetics. Because barbiturates are easily available, toxic effects resulting from their misuse are not infrequent. Acute poisoning may result from over dosage or interaction with other drugs, especially alcohol. The victim of acute barbiturate poisoning may become agitated and nauseated, or may pass into a deep sleep marked by increasingly shallow respiration. Coma and heart failure may follow. Chronic barbiturate poisoning, caused by prolonged use of the drugs, is usually marked by gastrointestinal irritation, loss of appetite, and anemia. In advanced stages of chronic barbiturate poisoning the victim may show mental confusion.
In most cases the use of dilution is advisable, that is, the ingestion of large quantities of water or milk. In other cases it is advisable to use an emetic, a substance that induces vomiting and rids the stomach of certain poisons. An emetic may act locally, as on the gastric nerves, or systematically on the part of the brain that causes the vomiting. Household emetics, which act locally, include a tablespoon of salt dissolved in warm water or two tablespoons of mustard dissolved in a pint of water. Emetics must not be given to a person who has swallowed a corrosive poison. An antidote, unlike an emetic, is a remedy that counteracts the effects of a poison chemically, although it may result indirectly in vomiting.
An antidote is amedicine used in addition to non-specific measures to counteract the effects of another drug or chemical poison. Examples are acetylcysteine in paracetamol overdose, or amyl nitrite in cyanide poisoning. Antidotes are specific pharmacological therapies which may act pharmacokinetic ally, the way the body deals with the entity or pharmacodynamically, the way the entity affects the body. While a pharmacokinetic antidote reduces the quantity of drug or poison reaching or remaining in the systemic circulation, a pharmacodynamically antidote acts directly or indirectly by antagonizing the potential effects of the drug or poison. The most important action to take when poisoning is known or suspected is to seek immediate medical advice. An antidote may work against a poison by neutralizing it, rendering it insoluble, absorbing it, isolating it, or producing an opposite physiological effect generally.
Dr.Badruddin Khan teaches Chemistry in the university of Kashmir,Srinager, India and loves to contribute towards the cause of society by enriching its very roots and the most valuable raw materials, the students.
Remedial Treatment of Poisoning
Most poisons taken in sufficient quantity are lethal. A poisonous substance may originate as a mineral, vegetable, or an animal and it may assume the form of a solid, liquid, or gas. A poison, depending on the type, may attack the surface of the body or, more seriously the internal organs . Poisons in humans are usually classified according to their effects as corrosives, irritants, or systemic poisons. Corrosives include strong acids or alkalis that cause local tissue destruction, externally or internally; that is, they burn the skin or the lining of the stomach. Vomiting occurs immediately, and the vomitus is intermixed with blood. Common or so-called household corrosive poisons include hydrochloric acid, carbolic acid, bichloride of mercury, and ammonia. Irritants such as arsenic, mercury, iodine, and laxatives act directly on the mucous membrane, causing gastrointestinal irritation or inflammation accompanied by pain and vomiting; diluted corrosive poisons also have these effects. Irritants include cumulative poisons, those substances that can be absorbed gradually without apparent harm until they suddenly take effect.
Systemic poisons act upon the central nervous system or upon important organs until they affect the respiratory and circulatory systems. These poisons can cause convulsions, or delirium. Blood poisoning, also bacterial in nature, is a condition that occurs when virulent micro-organisms invade the bloodstream through a wound or an infection. Symptoms include chills, fever, prostration, and often infections or secondary abscesses in various organs. Most poison gases also affect the bloodstream. Because these gases restrict the body’s ability to absorb oxygen, they are often considered in a separate category called asphyxiants, to which group ordinary carbon monoxide belongs. Gas poisons, however, may also be corrosives or irritants.
About 50 per cent of all human poisoning cases in the West involve commonly used drugs or household products such as aspirin, insecticides, and cosmetics. Because barbiturates are easily available, toxic effects resulting from their misuse are not infrequent. Acute poisoning may result from over dosage or interaction with other drugs, especially alcohol. The victim of acute barbiturate poisoning may become agitated and nauseated, or may pass into a deep sleep marked by increasingly shallow respiration. Coma and heart failure may follow. Chronic barbiturate poisoning, caused by prolonged use of the drugs, is usually marked by gastrointestinal irritation, loss of appetite, and anemia. In advanced stages of chronic barbiturate poisoning the victim may show mental confusion.
In most cases the use of dilution is advisable, that is, the ingestion of large quantities of water or milk. In other cases it is advisable to use an emetic, a substance that induces vomiting and rids the stomach of certain poisons. An emetic may act locally, as on the gastric nerves, or systematically on the part of the brain that causes the vomiting. Household emetics, which act locally, include a tablespoon of salt dissolved in warm water or two tablespoons of mustard dissolved in a pint of water. Emetics must not be given to a person who has swallowed a corrosive poison. An antidote, unlike an emetic, is a remedy that counteracts the effects of a poison chemically, although it may result indirectly in vomiting.
An antidote is a medicine used in addition to non-specific measures to counteract the effects of another drug or chemical poison. Examples are acetylcysteine in paracetamol overdose, or amyl nitrite in cyanide poisoning. Antidotes are specific pharmacological therapies which may act pharmacokinetic ally, the way the body deals with the entity or pharmacodynamically, the way the entity affects the body. While a pharmacokinetic antidote reduces the quantity of drug or poison reaching or remaining in the systemic circulation, a pharmacodynamically antidote acts directly or indirectly by antagonizing the potential effects of the drug or poison. The most important action to take when poisoning is known or suspected is to seek immediate medical advice. An antidote may work against a poison by neutralizing it, rendering it insoluble, absorbing it, isolating it, or producing an opposite physiological effect generally.
By: Dr.Badruddin Khan
Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/diseases-and-conditions-articles/remedial-treatment-of-poisoning-536852.html
keyword: asphyxiation
Dr.Badruddin Khan teaches Chemistry in the university of Kashmir,Srinager, India and loves to contribute towards the cause of society by enriching its very roots and the most valuable raw materials, the students.
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