FIRST AIDS TO THE SICK AND INJURED. 163 



force it out, or turn the child on his head and give him one 

 or two vigorous shakes. If there is still no relief, try to 

 grasp the object with your finger and thumb, or if too far 

 down for this, run your finger down and shove it on kito the 

 gullet, so as to free the windpipe. 



27. Poisons. Whenever it is necessary to have a poison- 

 ous drug about the house, it should be carefully labelled 

 " POISON," and put in a safe place. There should be only 

 one place for all such articles, and that place should be a 

 locked cupboard or chest. Do not keep any medicine or drug 

 that has lost its label. Throw it out at once, instead of 

 taking a dose to find out what it is. "An ounce of preven- 

 tion is worth a pound of cure." 



If you believe a poison has been swallowed, but do not 

 know what it is, the best you can do is to encourage vonJting 

 and get the stomach to reject all it can. The best and most 

 convenient emetics are large draughts of warm water and 

 mustard or salt. 



If you now discover what poisonous substance has been 

 swallowed, you must try and recall to your mind the best 

 remedy you can use or have at hand for counteracting it. 

 Charge your memory with the antidotes or drugs given to 

 counteract the effects of the poisons most commonly met 

 with. It is a wise precaution to have the antidote for each 

 poison kept in the house, and it is safer still, where prac- 

 ticable, to label and place each antidote with the poison it 

 will counteract. 



Mineral acids and alkalies neutralize each other, and there- 

 fore one is an antidote for the other. 



If a strong mineral acid, such as oil of vitriol, aqua fortis, 

 or spirits of salt, be swallowed, give large drinks of soda> 

 magnesia or lime-water, chalk, soap-suds or plaster from the 

 wall. When hartshorn, caustic soda, lime or strong lye are 

 taken, give vinegar and water or lemonade. Carbolic acid 



