/54 PLAIN FACTS FOE OLD AND YOUNG 



any period of the disease, and even during two weeks 

 after recovery. The contagious elements in the dis- 

 charges or clothing remain active at least two months. 



ACCIDENTAL POISONING 



General Treatment.— Whatever treatment is em- 

 ployed should be applied with the utmost prompt- 

 ness and thoroughness. As a general rule, the first 

 thing to be thought of is an emetic. A teaspoonful 

 of ground mustard, or an equal quantity of powdered 

 alum in a goblet of warm water, generally acts with 

 promptness. If neither alum nor mustard are at hand, 

 a teaspoonful of salt may be taken in the same way, 

 or tepid water alone may be employed, and if taken 

 rapidly and in sufficient quantity, vomiting will be very 

 likely to occur. In case it is not produced promptly, 

 the throat should be tickled with the finger or a feather. 

 An eminent physician has recommended the following 

 as a general antidote for poisons. It renders insoluble 

 such poisons as zinc, arsenic, digitalis, etc., and so 

 makes them inert. A saturated solution of sulphate 

 of iron, two ounces; calcined magnesia, two ounces; 

 washed animal charcoal, or bone-black, one ounce. The 

 iron solution should be kept in one bottle, and the cal- 

 cined magnesia and charcoal in another. When wanted 

 for use, add the contents of the two bottles to a pint 

 of water, shake, and take three to six tablespoonfuls. 



Specific Methods of Treatment.— l^early all cases 

 of poisoning may be successfully treated by means of 

 some one of the following methods, the particular ap- 

 plication of which is pointed out in the alphabetical list 

 of poisons which follow them: 



Method 1. — Give the patient at once a teaspoonful 

 of ground mustard or powdered alum in a glass of warm 



