This section is from the book "Practical Housekeeping", by Estelle Woods Wilcox. Also available from Amazon: The New Practical Housekeeping.
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:
Poisons. | antidotes. |
Acids. | Alkalies - Soap and milk, chalk, soda, lime-water. |
Alkalies. | |
Alcohol. | Common salt, moderately. |
Arsenic. | Send for the doctor and his stomach pump. |
Antimony. | Oak-bark, strong green tea. |
Baryta or Lime. | Epsom salts, oils, and magnesia. |
Bismuth. | Whites of eggs, sweet milk. |
Copper. | Whites of eggs, or strong coffee. |
Gases. | Cold douche, followed by friction. |
Iodine. | Starch, wheat flour in water. |
Creosote. | White of eggs, sweet milk. |
Lead. | Lemonade, strong, epsom salts. |
Opium and other Narcotics. | Emetics - Cold douche, exercise, and heat. |
Phosphorus. | Magnesia, in copious draughts. |
Zinc. | Whites of eggs, sweet milk. |
Mad-dog Bite. | Apply fire in some form to the wound, thoroughly and immediately. |
Bite of Insect. | Ammonia, applied freely. |
Bite of Serpent. | Same as for mad dog, followed by whisky to intoxication. |
The foregoing are the more common and more important poisons and their antidotes.
 
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