Important: Safety Warning
This page gives first-aid or emergency advice that predates modern medicine and can make an emergency worse. Do not follow it. In any medical emergency, call emergency services and follow current first-aid guidance.
This information has been left in for historical purposes but should not be acted upon.
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Antidotes for Poison
It need hardly be said that medical assistance must be sent for at once; but, meanwhile, as it is of the greatest importance to administer some aid as soon as possible, the subjoined directions may be followed. When any poisonous cr other hurtful thing has been swallowed, take instantly half a glass of water-cold, not hot-put into it a heaping tea-spoonful of salt, and another of ground mustard; stir it rapidly 3 or 4 times; if there is no salt at hand, use mustard alone; catch the patient by the nose and toss it down. The reason for using cold water is that, in the hurry, the water may be hotter than thought for, and may scald the throat, causing eventual, if not instant death.
The salt and mustard make the speediest and promote vomiting by the emetic recom mended in No. 5895.