POISONS.

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vomiting ceased ; and it is never safe to leave off drinkingwhile one particle of the poison remains in the stomach.

These oily or fat substances not only provoke vomiting,but likewise blunt the acrimony of the poison, and preventits wounding the bowels ; but if they should not make theperson vomit, half a dram or two scruples of the powder ofipecacuanha must be given, or a few spoonfuls of the oxymelor vinegar of squills may be mixed with the water which hedrinks. Vomiting may likewise be excited by tickling theinside of the throat with a feather. Should these methodshowever fail, half a dram of white vitriol, or five or six grainsof emetic tartar, must be administered.

If tormenting pains are felt in the lower belly, and thereis reason to fear that the poison has got down to the intes-tines, clysters of milk and oil must be very frequently thrownup ; and the patient must drink emollient decoctions of barley,oatmeal, marsh-mallows, and such like. He must likewisetake an infusion of senna and manna, a solution of Glauber'ssalts, or some other purgative.

After the poison has been evacuated, the patient ought forsome time to live upon such things as are of a healing andcooling quality; to abstain from flesh and all strong liquors,and to live upon milk, broth, gruel, light puddings, and otherspoon meats of easy digestion. His drink should be barleywater, linseed tea, or infusions of any of the mild mucilagi-nous vegetables.

Vegetable Poisons, besides heat and pain of the stomach,commonly occasion some degree of giddiness, and often akind of stupidity or folly. Persons who have taken thesepoisons must be treated in the same manner as for the mineralor corrosive.

Though the vegetable poisons, when allowed to remain inthe stomach, often prove fatal, yet the danger is generally overas soon as they are discharged. Not being of such a causticor corrosive nature, they are less apt to wound and inflamethe bowels than mineral substances ; no time, however, oughtto be lost in having them expelled the stomach.

Opium, being frequently taken by mistake, merits particularattention. It is used as a medicine both in a solid and liquidform, which latter commonly goes by the name of laudanum.It is indeed a valuable medicine when taken in proper quan-tity, but as an over-dose proves a strong poison, we shall pointout its common effects, together with the method of cure.

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