Swallowing Poison
When poison has been swallowed it is urgently necessary that the stomach be emptied immediately. An emetic should be given—mustard, common salt or powdered alum, in the proportion of a teaspoonful of any one to a glass of warm water. Repeat the dose within ten minutes if necessary, and still again if required. If in some location where none of these substances is available but cold water is at hand, this should be drunk freely and vomiting induced by tickling the throat with the finger. It is imperative that the stomach be emptied, thoroughly and immediately.
After the stomach has been emptied and cleansed, give raw eggs and milk, or either alone, or egg-white; or give soap, castor oil, or flour and water. Meanwhile hot enemas should be given, one after another. If the patient becomes drowsy and the heart action depressed, fomentations should be placed over the heart and changed frequently, with heat also applied to the feet. If coffee is at hand it may be added (six ounces) to the hot enema for more pronounced stimulation. If cor¬rosive sublimate (mercuric chlorid) or other mercurial poison has been swallowed it will be well to give one or two full rectal injections (to be retained) of an albuminous liquid, such as milk with white of egg beaten into it.