Symptoms

Signs of poisoning may come on with great rapidity. Tingling in the mouth and throat, tingling and numbness in the extremities, burning in the stomach and abdomen, prostration, pupils dilated, skin moist and cold, pulse weak and irregular, respiration shallow and slow. There is deafness and diminished vision. The intellect usually remains clear, but occasionally there is delirium and convulsions. Vomiting is not common.

If death, in a few minutes to three or four hours from cardiac and respiratory paralysis.

Chemical Antidote

Tannic acid, one gram.

Treatment

Wash out the stomach with warm water. Keep up the body temperature with dry heat applications. Employ artificial respiration, if necessary. Counteract the depression with strychnine hypodermatically. Should there be insufficent response to this, give one c. c. of adrenalin or suprarenalin solution (1 to 1,000) intramuscularly, and follow with atropine hypodermatically. If stimulation must be kept up, use caffeine hypodermatically. Morphine may be used hypodermatically to control pain. Strong, hot coffee is good treatment. Absolute quiet is essential. Digitalis should be given later.

Contra-Indicated

Any exertion, depressant emetics.