Any substance that, if used incorrectly, causes physical damage to the body can be considered a poison. The forms can be different: pesticides, drugs, detergents and cosmetics are just some of the elements that can poison our body. Poisons can be inhaled, swallowed or absorbed through the skin. It is important to follow the correct procedures to help a person who has ingested poison.
Steps
Step 1. Purchase the necessary tools and keep them on hand for any cases of accidental poisoning
You will need: Epsom salts, ipecac syrup and activated charcoal. It is important to have these items on hand, but never administer them without the supervision of a physician or poisoning expert.
Step 2. Determine if the victim vomited while unconscious
If so, turn your head to one side to prevent choking. If you are out of breath, perform the cardiopulmonary resuscitation procedure and call the emergency service.
Step 3. Get the important information
You will need to know the label of the ingested product, the approximate age and weight of the person who ingested the poison, and the address of where you are.
Step 4. Follow the directions on the label to know what to do if the product is ingested
Do not induce vomiting unless clearly indicated in the instructions. Vomiting certain substances can severely damage the victim's throat.
Step 5. Call the nearest poison control center
A person will guide you step by step through the process of recovering the person who ingested the poison. You may have to induce vomiting with ipecac syrup, use Epsom salts as a laxative, deactivate the poison with activated charcoal, transport the victim to the emergency room, or simply force them to drink water to hydrate. Follow the instructions in detail, without doing anything else, the person who will assist you has been trained to assist you in emergencies from poisoning, and many incidents can be managed on the spot.
Step 6. If you don't have a phone to call the poison control center, go to the emergency room
Bring the label of the ingested product with you to show it to the doctor. This way he will know how to help the victim of the poisoning.
