Treatment. — There is no chemical anti-
dote for aconite. Vomiting should be pro-
duced at once to get rid of it. In the house-
hold, do not wait to send to a druggist, but
give immediately a teaspoonful of mustard,
mixed in a teacupful of warm (not hot)
water. Repeat this in ten minutes, with
large draughts of warm water, if vomiting
does not follow. If no mustard is at hand,
a tablespoonful of salt, in a teacupful of
warm, not hot, water, will answer the same
purpose. Then mix powdered charcoal, a
teaspoonful at a time, in water, and let it be
drunk ; and also very strong tea, freely
taken. Let the limbs be briskly rubbed
with warm hands, and place hot bottles or
bricks alongside of the body and to the feet.
If other treatment is used, it should be only
at the judgment of a physician, who should
be summoned as soon as possible. This
remark will apply to all cases of poi-
soning ; and need not therefore be hereafter
repeated.
Ammonia. — This is the volatile alkali.
It has the same chemical relations as the
fixed alkalies, potassa, soda, and lithia ;
but flies off into the air when exposed, re-
quiring, unless dissolved, extreme cold or
very good pressure to condense it. It is
intensely pungent to the taste and to the
breathing organs, and acts as an irritant
poison when taken in large quantities. Two
or three teaspoonfuls, at least, of the stronger
solution of ammonia will be necessary to
cause danger of a fatal result. Aromatic
spirit of ammonia might have such an effect,
if a tablespoonful or two were swallowed at ,
once. Symptoms of such poisoning are,
extreme burning and pain in the stomach,
with nausea and vomiting, followed by col-
lapse (deathly prostration), which may end
fatally in a few hours. One case has been
reported in which this took place in a few
minutes ; another, after three days. Its
being breathed freely hastens the effect.
T?'eatment of poisoning with ammonia is
like that for other alkalies. Give vinegar
and water, or lemon-juice, quickly and
largely. Afterwards, olive oil ; then milk ;
or, if no sweet-oil is at hand, milk alone.
The vinegar or lemon-juice combines with
and neutralizes the alkaline ammonia. Oil
makes a soap with it, which is innocent.
Milk will then promote the required sooth-
ing action, and will also nourish and sup-
port the patient.
Arsenic. — Both Dy accident and through
suicidal or murderous intent, this is one of
the most frequently fatal -poisons. Symp-
toms of arsenical poisoning are complex. It
is an irritant-neurotic in its action. About
an hour after taking it, there are symptoms
of faintness, heat of throat, thirst, and burn-
ing pain in the stomach. Violent retching
and vomiting follow, and the pain extends
through the bowels, with straining and
severe purging ; sometimes with bloody
passages. Prostration soon results; with
coldness, small, frequent pulse, and great
feeling of weakness ; not infrequently deli-
rium, convulsions, or even stupor, will pre-
cede death. In slower cases, headache,
trembling and other distressing nervous
symptoms are common. There is, however,
considerable variety in the symptoms of
poisoning by arsenic. Death results in most
cases within twenty-four hours ; exception -
tionally, but rarely, in an hour or less :
occasionally, after weeks, or even months of
protracted suffering.
Page 226
Presented as published in 1901. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
Treatment. — There is no chemical antidote for aconite. Vomiting should be produced at once to get rid of it. In the household, do not wait to send to a druggist, but give immediately a teaspoonful of mustard, mixed in a teacupful of warm (not hot) water. Repeat this in ten minutes, with large draughts of warm water, if vomiting does not follow. If no mustard is at hand, a tablespoonful of salt, in a teacupful of warm, not hot, water, will answer the same purpose. Then mix powdered charcoal, a teaspoonful at a time, in water, and let it be drunk ; and also very strong tea, freely taken. Let the limbs be briskly rubbed with warm hands, and place hot bottles or bricks alongside of the body and to the feet. If other treatment is used, it should be only at the judgment of a physician, who should be summoned as soon as possible. This remark will apply to all cases of poisoning ; and need not therefore be hereafter repeated.
Ammonia. — This is the volatile alkali. It has the same chemical relations as the fixed alkalies, potassa, soda, and lithia ; but flies off into the air when exposed, requiring, unless dissolved, extreme cold or very good pressure to condense it. It is intensely pungent to the taste and to the breathing organs, and acts as an irritant poison when taken in large quantities. Two
or three teaspoonfuls, at least, of the stronger solution of ammonia will be necessary to cause danger of a fatal result. Aromatic spirit of ammonia might have such an effect, if a tablespoonful or two were swallowed at , once. Symptoms of such poisoning are, extreme burning and pain in the stomach, with nausea and vomiting, followed by collapse (deathly prostration), which may end fatally in a few hours. One case has been reported in which this took place in a few minutes ; another, after three days. Its being breathed freely hastens the effect.
Treatment of poisoning with ammonia is like that for other alkalies. Give vinegar and water, or lemon-juice, quickly and largely. Afterwards, olive oil ; then milk ; or, if no sweet-oil is at hand, milk alone. The vinegar or lemon-juice combines with and neutralizes the alkaline ammonia. Oil makes a soap with it, which is innocent. Milk will then promote the required soothing action, and will also nourish and support the patient.
Arsenic. — Both by accident and through suicidal or murderous intent, this is one of the most frequently fatal -poisons. Symptoms of arsenical poisoning are complex. It is an irritant-neurotic in its action. About an hour after taking it, there are symptoms of faintness, heat of throat, thirst, and burning pain in the stomach. Violent retching and vomiting follow, and the pain extends through the bowels, with straining and severe purging ; sometimes with bloody passages. Prostration soon results; with coldness, small, frequent pulse, and great feeling of weakness ; not infrequently delirium, convulsions, or even stupor, will precede death. In slower cases, headache, trembling and other distressing nervous symptoms are common. There is, however, considerable variety in the symptoms of poisoning by arsenic. Death results in most cases within twenty-four hours ; exception - tionally, but rarely, in an hour or less : occasionally, after weeks, or even months of protracted suffering.