300 OUR BODIES AND HOW WE LIVE 



For most poisons, the stomach should be emptied as 

 speedily as possible. Make a quart of warm soapsuds. 

 Force the sufferer to gulp it down, a cupful at a time. 

 Run the finger down the throat and hasten the vomiting. 



A good emetic is made by stirring a heaping tablespoon- 

 ful of ground mustard in a pint of warm water. Give 

 a cupful every ten minutes until vomiting is produced. 

 Common salt may be used in place of mustard. Stir a 

 handful of powdered alum into a cupful of sirup and give 

 a tablespoonful every ten minutes. It affords a prompt 

 emetic. 



Be in earnest about it and do not waste time to see if 

 the poisoned person likes such treatment. Vomiting will 

 not do any harm. Remember that the poison may destroy 

 life in a few minutes. 



413. Different Kinds of Poison. For convenience, the 

 more common poisons may be arranged in different classes. 



Some poisons are acids, like the oil of vitriol ; others are 

 alkalies, like lye. 



Some poisons are irritant mineral poisons, like arsenic or 

 sugar of lead; while others are vegetable poisons, like monks- 

 hood and wild parsnip. 



We can easily remember the general plan of treatment 

 for each special class of the more common poisons. 



414. Acid Poisons and their Antidotes. The oil of vitriol, 

 nitric acid, and muriatic acid are in common use in certain 

 workshops and are occasionally used in the household. 

 These are caustic mineral acids that rapidly burn and 

 destroy the living tissues. 



Give an alkali. Give large quantities of strong soap- 

 suds, chalk, tooth powder, soda or saleratus water, mag- 

 nesia, or limewater. Scrape off the whiting from the wall 



