Poisoning Emergencies

History of the Scene

You need to know four basic facts to give appropriate first aid for poisoning:

• What poison was taken? Container labels should identify the poison; otherwise, save some vomit and give it to medical help for analysis.
• How did the poison enter the body? First aid may differ for poisons taken by mouth, absorbed through the skin, injected into the blood, or breathed into the lungs.

  

• How much poison was taken? Estimate the quantity that may have been taken based on what you see or are told (for example, the number of pills originally in the container, the quantity of chemical substance in the bottle, etc.). Estimate the size/age of the casualty: the smaller the person the more dangerous the dosage.
• When was the poison taken? The length of time the poison has been in the body will help determine the first aid and medical care needed.