POISONING 45 



Since we can scarcely hope to evacuate the contents of the stomach 

 either by a pump or vomit ion, we have usually to begin the treatment by 

 an effort to arrest the action of the toxic agent upon the walls of the 

 stomach. If poisoning is due to an acid irritant, copious draughts of 

 alkaline bicarbonates are administered, those of potash, soda, magnesia, 

 and lime being most suitable; and in the absence of such pharmaceutical 

 products we may give chalk or whiting, or the scrapings of whitewashed 

 ceilings or walls. Where caustic alkalies have produced the mischief, we 

 resort to dilute acids, as vinegar or lime-juice in small but oft-repeated 

 doses. In addition to those agents calculated to neutralize chemically 

 acids or alkalies, we administer copious draughts of bland fluids in the shape 

 of milk, linseed- tea, whipped eggs, oil, butter, gum, barley-water, &c. 

 While these measures are calculated to save the mucous membrane and walls 

 of the stomach from destruction by an irritant poison, and retard its effects, 

 they will not influence that which has already entered into the circulation 

 of the blood. We have said that in the case of horses, the poison has 

 usually entered the body by means of the mouth and stomach, but there 

 are other gates by which toxic agents may have gained access. The skin, 

 as has been pointed out in connection with the subject of kidney diseases 

 and local applications, may have been the means by which the body has 

 suffered injury. The deleterious agent may have been absorbed by a 

 wound, or passed into the circulation by subcutaneous injection, while the 

 lungs may have inhaled the poisonous gas of mine or factory. 



From the foregoing remarks the importance will be seen of ascertaining, 

 if possible, the actual poison to be dealt with. 



Antidotes (antidotos, a remedy) are agents which neutralize and arrest 

 the action of poisons. In the stomach and some portion of the intestinal 

 canal this effect may be counted on where the nature of the poison is 

 known and a suitable antidote soon enouoh administered. In the case of 

 chemical antidotes, their action on the poison frequently results in its 

 decomposition and the formation of a harmless compound. As an example 

 we may mention white of eggs as forming an insoluble albuminate when 

 given to an animal whose stomach has been the receptacle of an overdose 

 of bichloride of mercury (corrosive sublimate). Arsenic may be made 

 insoluble in like manner by dosing the poisoned patient with freshly- 

 prepared hydrated peroxide of iron. < >ther chemical antidotes convert 

 destructive poisons into harmless salts, as in the case of sulphuric acid (oil 

 of vitriol), which may be decomposed by an alkaline carbonate producing 

 a harmless sulphate and liberating carbonic acid gas. 



Examples of physiological antidotes may be seen in strychnia and 

 chloroform or chloral. The tetanic spasms resulting from the former are 



