Poisoning - the factsPoisoning and
home safety go hand in hand. It is essential that you know as much as
possible about the subject in order to be able to protect your
family.
The overall subject is huge,
and I cannot hope to cover it all in these pages. However, I am sure that
I can give you enough information so that you understand what can be
considered to be toxic, the different methods of these substances entering the
body, how to protect your family , and what to do if someone does become
harmed ,as well as information on some specific items.A toxic substance can be considered to be anything, that when taken in the appropriate amount, will cause harm to the body.
If an excessive amount of water is consumed, it will cause damage to various body organs, as will a minute amount of some other product. Many items, that we may consider to be safe can have a toxic effect on the human body. Penicillin is a wonderful drug and if taken correctly, will heal the body. On the other hand, some people are allergic to penicillin, therefore to them, it becomes dangerous and they will have a severe allergic reaction to it and go into anaphylactic shock . Toxic substances can be solid, liquid or gas. They can be swallowed, injected, inhaled or absorbed through the skin. Many substances act very quickly, while others have a slower reaction time. some might even take years to have an effect eg alcoholism which usually results in severe damage to the liver and subsequent death. In any sudden and unexplained illness, a toxic substance should be considered. It is very important that the substance causing the problem, be identified. This will not always be an easy task, unless there is physical evidence, such as an empty pill container, perhaps a hyperdermic syringe, or a bottle that contains or contained a toxic substance. Don't forget to consider the possibility that a child has eaten some part of a plant in your home or garden. Elderly people are often forgetful and cannot remember if they took their medication or not, and so they take another dose. and later, perhaps a third one. Most incidents of poisoning occur in the home and involve young children. The following articles will give you more information on what to do in the event of an incident occurring in your home:
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