Vomiting in Poisoned Person
Vomiting, or an inclination to it, is always a most important symptom, and especially so when occurring during, or soon after meals. It is right to promote vomiting, and this should be attempted at first, without having recourse to irritant substances. A good and a harmless emetic is lukewarm water, without oil, grease or butter. Let the sufferer swallow as much of it as he possibly can; at least half a tumbler full, every minute and more if possible. Try to induce children to take it, first by kindness, then by threats, if neither will avail, by force, and if the latter has to be resorted to, open the mouth by inserting a finger between the jaws behind the teeth, and pour it in. Or you may, after the child has made expiration, suddenly shut its nose and pour the water into its mouth; but beware of doing this while the child is breathing in.
At the same time let the patient put his finger down his throat, or take a feather, put it into the throat, and turn it around until it excites vomiting. Let the patient incline forward, place your hand on his stomach, support his head, and beat him gently between the shoulders. Let him rinse his mouth after he has vomited, and remain undisturbed for a few minutes. As soon, however, as he feels another attack of pain, or other symptoms, such as retching, hiccough, or uneasiness, let him drink again until it appears probable that every thing has been ejected.
If he cannot be made to vomit, or if he cannot swallow, at least not sufficiently, or if he retches in vain, does not throw up as much as he drinks, or should he absolutely refuse to drink, and you cannot introduce enough, or should he swallow again what has come up: give him a tablespoonful of mustard-seed, finely powdered, mixed with a teaspoonful of table salt in a tumbler of water.
In case the sufferer can get nothing down, is quite confused, cannot swallow, his jaws being tightly closed, blow some tobacco smoke into the rectum. To do this if the proper apparatus cannot be obtained, take a pipe filled with tobacco, light it, grease the point of its mouth-piece with oil or fat, insert it within the anus, not deeper than about an inch, turning it carefully; then place on the bowl of that pipe the bowl of another larger, empty one, and blow through this into the other, propelling the smoke inward. After blowing three or four times, stop, and then begin again, and so continue until relief is obtained.
