Important: Safety Warning
This page gives first-aid or emergency advice that predates modern medicine and can make an emergency worse. Do not follow it. In any medical emergency, call emergency services and follow current first-aid guidance.
This information has been left in for historical purposes but should not be acted upon.
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Antidotes to Poisons (First thing to do is to cause)
The first thing to do is to cause their rejection by vomiting, to do which place mustard mixed with salt on the tongue, or give large quantities of lukewarm water, or tickle the throat with a feather. These failing, instantly resort to active emetics, like tartar emetic, sulphate of copper, or sulphate of zinc. After vomiting has taken place with these, continue it if possible by copious draughts of warm water till the poison is entirely removed. Of course, if vomiting can not be induced, the stomach pump must be employed, especially if arsenic or narcotics have been taken. A brief table, formulated as follows, may be useful for emergencies: