Poisoning

Some things can harm a living thing.

This can happen if you swallow them. It can also happen by breathing them in.

Bad things can enter through your skin too. Some people get sick very fast. This happens after just one time.

Other people get sick very slowly. This happens from being near bad things for a long time.

Many accidents happen by mistake. People might take the wrong medicine. They might take too much of it.

Look for a skull symbol on labels. This symbol means a thing is dangerous. Always ask a grown-up for help.

Poisoning happens when a harmful substance enters a living body.

A person can swallow, breathe in, or touch these toxins. They can also enter through a needle. Toxicology is the study of how poisons work and how to treat them.

There are two main ways poisoning happens. Acute poisoning happens after a short time. This might occur after one or more exposures. Symptoms show up within 14 days. Chronic poisoning happens over a long time. This occurs when a person is exposed many times. Symptoms may grow slowly over many months.

Most poisonings are accidents. In 2020, most cases were accidental. This often happens when people take the wrong medicine. They might also take too much of a dose by mistake.

Some poisons look like other things. Arsenic trioxide is a white powder. It looks very much like sugar.

Labels use special signs to help us stay safe. One sign shows a skull and two crossed bones. This tells us the substance is dangerous. If someone is poisoned, they must seek medical help right away.

Doctors may use charcoal to help treat the person.

Poisoning occurs when a harmful substance enters a living body. These substances are called toxins. A toxin is any chemical that can harm or kill a living thing.

People can be poisoned in several ways. You might swallow a toxin by mistake. You could also breathe it in or touch it with your skin. Some toxins enter the body through an injection. Scientists study these events in a field called toxicology. They look at how toxins work and how to treat them.

There are two main ways these harmful effects happen. Acute poisoning happens when someone is exposed to a toxin once or a few times. This usually happens over a very short period. In these cases, symptoms show up within 14 days. Chronic poisoning is different because it happens over a long time. This occurs when a person is exposed many times. The symptoms might show up slowly or after a long delay. Some toxins, like lead or mercury, build up inside a living thing over time. This build-up is called bioaccumulation.

Many poisonings happen by accident rather than on purpose. In 2020, a report from America's Poison Centers found that 76.9% of exposures were accidental. Most of these accidents happen with medicine. A person might take the wrong medicine by mistake. They might also take a double dose by accident. Some substances are very tricky because they look like safe things. In 1858, there was a sweets poisoning incident in Bradford. This happened because someone mistook a substance for a sugar substitute.

Some substances only become poisonous after they change inside the body. This is called toxication. For example, methanol is known as wood alcohol. It is not poisonous by itself. However, the liver turns it into toxic formaldehyde and formic acid.

Other substances are made to be poisons for specific uses. Pesticides are biocides made to harm certain living things. The herbicide 2,4-D is a type of chemical that acts like a plant hormone. It is harmful to plants. Some people might also experience secondary poisoning from these chemicals.

We use special signs to stay safe from dangerous chemicals. The GHS uses pictograms, which are small pictures, on labels. One common symbol shows a human skull and two crossed bones.

These labels also give instructions on how to handle the product safely. If someone is poisoned, they should seek medical help immediately. It is helpful to tell doctors the person's age and weight. You should also tell them what was swallowed and how much. Doctors might use activated charcoal or other ways to treat the person.

Poisoning is the harmful effect that occurs when toxic substances enter a living body. A poison is any chemical substance that can harm or kill a living organism if it is ingested. This process can happen through several different pathways. A person might swallow a toxin or inhale it through the air. Toxins can also enter the body through an injection or by being absorbed through the skin.

Scientists study these dangerous effects through a field called toxicology. Toxicology is the practice of studying the symptoms, mechanisms, diagnoses, and treatments related to poisoning.

The severity of poisoning often depends on the level of exposure. Acute exposure occurs when an organism is harmfully exposed to a poison once or more during a brief period. In these cases, symptoms usually manifest within 14 days of the administration.

Chronic exposure is different because it involves exposure over an extended period of time. This happens on multiple instances over a long duration. Symptoms from chronic exposure may develop gradually or after a long latent period. This type of poisoning often involves substances that bioaccumulate or are biomagnified, such as mercury, gadolinium, or lead.

Many instances of poisoning are unintentional. According to a 2020 report from America's Poison Centers, 76.9% of recorded toxin exposures were accidental. The remaining statistics involved exposures that were either deliberate or unexpected. A large portion of these accidental incidents involve medication errors. People may mistakenly take the incorrect medicine or accidentally double a dose. Some substances are particularly dangerous because they are difficult to identify. In 1858, a sweets poisoning incident occurred in Bradford. This happened because a substance was mistaken for a sugar substitute called "daff."

Some chemicals are engineered to be highly toxic for specific purposes. Nerve gases are synthetic substances used in industry or warfare. These are considered biologically derived neurotoxins, which are agents that act specifically against the nervous system. They can paralyze a person in seconds or cause organs to cease functioning. Other chemicals, like the herbicide 2,4-D, are designed to target specific organisms. 2,4-D imitates the action of a plant hormone to kill plants. While it is classified as harmful, it is not technically a poison. However, people applying these biocides can still experience secondary poisoning.

Certain substances are only poisonous through a process called toxication. This means the substance is not poisonous by itself but becomes toxic after a chemical change. For example, methanol, also known as "wood alcohol," is not poisonous on its own. Once it reaches the liver, it is chemically converted into toxic formaldehyde and formic acid. Many drug molecules undergo a similar process in the liver. Because of genetic variability in liver enzymes, the toxicity of these compounds can differ between people.

To prevent accidents, government agencies use the Globally Harmonized System, or GHS, to label toxins. These labels include pictograms, which are small images that warn of danger. A common hazard symbol depicts a human skull in front of two crossed bones.

Labels also include precautionary statements that advise users to be aware of dangerous features. They may also provide instructions on how to handle the product or what compounds to avoid mixing with it.

If poisoning is suspected, seeking medical attention is strongly advised. It is helpful to contact a poison control center for assistance with diagnosis and management. When speaking to medical personnel, you should provide the patient's age, weight, and any other drugs they are taking. It is important to identify what was ingested, the amount, and how long ago the exposure happened. If possible, keep the pill bottle or medication package to show doctors.

Treatments vary depending on the substance and may include the use of activated charcoal, the induction of vomiting, or the dilution and neutralizing of the poison.