Poison by Food-Food Poisoning
In as much as food is taken into the digestive organs, the mucous membranes of which are highly absorptive, it is understandable that poisoning can easily result when food contains any poisonous substance. By nature, some plant leaves, roots, and fruits contain poisonous ingredients; these in turn may be eaten by birds, animals, or fish, making their flesh poisonous. Food contaminated by germs and improperly refrigerated, or canned food improperly cooked and containing spores of bacteria, may be a cause of poisoning. Thus there are a number of different kinds of food poisoning and food infection. The common ones, along with methods of emergency treatment, are here described.
A. By Botulism. This is the most serious type of food poisoning. It results from a germ(Clostridiumbotulinum) common in gardens and on farms and probably present on all vegetable products. Poisoning does not result from eating freshly prepared garden products, for it takes a period of time for the germ to develop its poisoning capabilities. Conditions become right when garden products are improperly canned, stored for a while, and then served without first being cooked at boiling temperatures for at least twenty minutes. Canning procedures are quite critical. Gas-containing, off-color, off-smelling foods or foods from bulging cans should never be eaten, or even tasted. Symptoms of botulism usually occur within eighteen hours after the contaminated food has been eaten, possibly longer, depending on the amount of toxin ingested. Serious symptoms consist of dim vision, double vision, and difficulty in talking and swallowing because of paralysis of the muscles of the larynx and throat. The toxin produced by this germ is extremely damaging to the body's organs and produces death in about 70 percent of untreated cases.
WHAT TO DO
Medical care should be arranged at once. It is not possible to reverse the damage already done, but if the victim can receive the antitoxin prepared especially for this disease early in its course, his chances of survival are better than after the disease is established.
B.By Mushrooms. Several varieties of mushroom like plants are poisonous. Many claim they can tell the difference between the poisonous and the edible. Danger of making a mistake, however, indicates the only safe course lies in obtaining mushrooms from commercial sources. The poisonous mushroom itself contains toxin that damages body cells and causes death in more than half the cases of ingestion.
Symptoms occur several hours after the poisonous mushrooms have been eaten. They include abdominal pain, vomiting, and diarrhea, progressing in many cases to shock, convulsions, unconsciousness, and death after several
days.
WHAT TO DO
Arrange medical aid as soon as the condition is suspected. First-aid treatment consists of absolute bed rest and, if the victim is not already vomiting, of emptying the stomach by inducing vomiting. Keep the victim warm and quiet to reduce the danger of shock.
C. By Salmonella Infection (Salmonellosis). This is caused by a group of bacteria known as the salmonellas, introduced into the body by contaminated food, especially meat and meat products but also eggs, especially duck eggs. Contamination may be caused by disease in the animal itself or by careless handling of food. This type of infection often involves several persons who have eaten food from the same source.
Symptoms develop eight to twenty four hours after the contaminated food has been eaten. These consist of abdominal cramps, nausea, watery diarrhea, and possibly mild fever with chilling. The acute phase of the illness lasts about two days. Some mild and some severe illnesses may occur among persons infected at the same time and place.
WHAT TO DO
It is questionable if an effort should be made to terminate the diarrhea, for this is a natural means of ridding the body of the toxins which the contaminating germ produces. However, pectins absorb toxins, hence the common employment of apple juice, scraped raw apple, blackberry juice, et cetera, as home remedies for diarrhea may help. For severe cases get medical advice.
D. By Shellfish. This is caused by eating shellfish which have absorbed poisonous substances from their food. The same kind of shellfish may produce this poisoning at one time of year but not at another, though the danger is not limited to a specific season. Shellfish from Pacific coastal areas should not be eaten between May 1 and October 31, if at all, since shellfish, including crabs, are scavengers and are frequently infected with coliform organisms, including typhoid. The symptoms include paralysis of certain muscles, including those of the neck, chest, and diaphragm, thus causing impairment of breathing. The digestive organs may also be affected, and there is often a reddish-blue skin rash with severe itching.
WHAT TO DO
Medical attention is urgent in these cases, for sometimes the swelling of the tissues of the larynx interferes suddenly with breathing. Epsom salts may be given as a cathartic to hasten the removal of the poison from the intestines. Because the victim is already emptying his stomach spontaneously, it is usually not necessary to induce vomiting .
E. By Staphylococcus. This type of food poisoning results from the rapid multiplication of the Staphylococcus bacterium in food allowed to remain for a while at room temperature before serving. It can be prevented by rigid surveillance of food handlers to prevent gross contamination as from infected fingers, and by adequate refrigeration of food once it has' been prepared. These germs, when allowed to multiply, produce a highly poisonous toxin not destructible by subsequent cooking of the food. Symptoms consist of nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhea, of abrupt onset soon after eating the offending food, such as 'cream pastries. Many a banquet has been broken up in this way. The illness is often confused with "intestinal flu." Death seldom occurs,
but in severe cases the victim's condition approaches the stage of shock.
WHAT TO DO
There is no specific treatment. The victim usually recovers spontaneously.
