Treatment. — If vomiting has not been
already copious, give a teaspoonful of mus-
tard or a tablespoonful of salt in a teacupful
of warm water ; and follov/ this with large
draughts of warm water, in which magnesia
549
86
THE FAMILY DOCTOR
has been stirred and mixed . Magnesia is at
least a partial antidote for preparations of
arsenic. The most effectual antidote is
hydratcd peroxide (sesquioxide) of iro7i ; in-
large doses, in the moist state, and freshly
made. This may be prepared by putting
Ti)ict2tre of chloride of iro7i in water (quan-
tity not of very great consequence, use
plenty of it), and then adding aqua ammo-
nia (solution of ammonia or hartshorn). A
thick powder will be thus precipitated ; —
which, after washing it with clean water,
may be given in tablespoonful doses as an
antidote for arsenic.
Carbolic Acid. — This is also called
phenol. It is to coal-oil (petroleum) what
creosote is to tar from wood. Symptoms of
poisoning by either carbolic acid, kerosene,
or crude petroleum, are those of an irritant
narcotic. First there are burning of the
mouth, throat, and stomach, pain in the
abdomen, vomiting; then great prostration,
faintness, coldness ; lastly, insensibility and
stupor, ending in death. A tablespoonful
of the liquid carbolic acid will be pretty sure
to cause death, in from half an hour to eight
or nine hours. In treatment of this form of
poisoning, we must first use an emetic (mus-
tard, salt, or ipecac, with plenty of warm
water), and then give the patient large
draughts of sweet oil. If that is not on
hand, lime-water and milk, freely given,
will be likely to do good by shielding the
coats of the stomach and bowels from the
poison.
Chloral. — Hydrate of chloral is the right
name of this medicine, which is much used,
especially to promote sleep. It ' is very un-
certain in its action upon different people.
While some are but little affected by drachm
(sixty-grain) doses, others will be consider-
ably^ narcotized by half as much. Twenty
or thirty grains will be an ordinary medic-
inal dose. Less than a drachm has been
fatal in a few instances ; three dracJwis
would probably almost always kill ; al-
though some persons have taken much
more with impunity. The symptoms of the
poisonous action of chloral are merely those
of deep narcotism ; the victim cannot be
roused, and sleeps away to death, in a few
hours. Treatment of it, in the absence of a
certain antidote, consists in the immediate
550
use of an emetic, followed by very strong
coffee or tea ; dashing cold water on the
face and chest ; if the patient can walk,
moving him about, slapping the back and
limbs briskly, etc., to keep him awake, as
in opium-poisoning ; for last resorts, the
galvanic battery and artificial respiration.
A physician may carefully try the antagon-
ism which probably exists between strych-
nine and chloral.
Page 227
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. — If vomiting has not been already copious, give a teaspoonful of mustard or a tablespoonful of salt in a teacupful of warm water ; and follov/ this with large draughts of warm water, in which magnesia
has been stirred and mixed . Magnesia is at least a partial antidote for preparations of arsenic. The most effectual antidote is hydrated peroxide (sesquioxide) of iron ; inlarge doses, in the moist state, and freshly made. This may be prepared by putting Tincture of chloride of iron in water (quantity not of very great consequence, use plenty of it), and then adding aqua ammonia (solution of ammonia or hartshorn). A thick powder will be thus precipitated ; — which, after washing it with clean water, may be given in tablespoonful doses as an antidote for arsenic.
Carbolic Acid. — This is also called phenol. It is to coal-oil (petroleum) what creosote is to tar from wood. Symptoms of poisoning by either carbolic acid, kerosene, or crude petroleum, are those of an irritant narcotic. First there are burning of the mouth, throat, and stomach, pain in the abdomen, vomiting; then great prostration, faintness, coldness ; lastly, insensibility and stupor, ending in death. A tablespoonful of the liquid carbolic acid will be pretty sure to cause death, in from half an hour to eight or nine hours. In treatment of this form of poisoning, we must first use an emetic (mustard, salt, or ipecac, with plenty of warm water), and then give the patient large draughts of sweet oil. If that is not on hand, lime-water and milk, freely given, will be likely to do good by shielding the coats of the stomach and bowels from the poison.
Chloral. — Hydrate of chloral is the right name of this medicine, which is much used, especially to promote sleep. It ' is very uncertain in its action upon different people. While some are but little affected by drachm (sixty-grain) doses, others will be considerably^ narcotized by half as much. Twenty or thirty grains will be an ordinary medicinal dose. Less than a drachm has been fatal in a few instances ; three drachms would probably almost always kill ; although some persons have taken much more with impunity. The symptoms of the poisonous action of chloral are merely those of deep narcotism ; the victim cannot be roused, and sleeps away to death, in a few hours. Treatment of it, in the absence of a certain antidote, consists in the immediate
use of an emetic, followed by very strong coffee or tea ; dashing cold water on the face and chest ; if the patient can walk, moving him about, slapping the back and limbs briskly, etc., to keep him awake, as in opium-poisoning ; for last resorts, the galvanic battery and artificial respiration. A physician may carefully try the antagonism which probably exists between strychnine and chloral.