Poisoning First-Aid

What to do if the following poisoning situations happen:

• Poison has been Swallowed:
  Do not make the victim vomit, as this could harm the patient further. If the victim starts to throw up, turn him onto his left to prevent the vomit from blocking the air passage.
  
  
• Poison has been Inhaled:
  Move him to fresh air immediately and open doors and windows to improve ventilation.
  
  
• Poison on the Skin:
  If the victim's skin has come into contact with poison, remove the contaminated clothing immediately and rinse skin under cool running water for at least 15 minutes.
  
  
• Poison in the Eye:
  If poison gets into the eye, remove contact lenses immediately, if any. Then rinse the eye under gently running cool water for at least 15 minutes. The victim should be encouraged to blink while rinsing it and refrain from rubbing the eye.
  
  

Drug & Poison Information Centre (DPIC)
If poisoning occurs, call 995 if the victim is unconscious, having seizures or not breathing. For less serious cases, you can call the Drug & Poison Information Centre (DPIC) located at Singapore General Hospital at 6423 9119 for assistance with the diagnosis and treatment. The trained pharmacists and medical toxicologists at DPIC provide free advice on poisoning 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

This information is obtained from the Drug & Poison Information Centre's website at http://dpic.sgh.com.sg