General Toxicology

Dr Jiju V. S.,Asst. Police Surgeon,

Medical College, Kottayam

TOXICOLOGY

Toxicology is the science which deals with poisons with reference to their sources, properties, mode of action, symptoms, lethal dose, nature of the fatal results, treatment, method of their detection and estimation and autopsy findings

POISONS

Poison is a substance which when administered, inhaled or ingested is capable of acting deleteriously on the human body

THE LAWS OF POISONS

The drugs and cosmetic act 1940The pharmacy act 1948Drugs control act 1980Narcotic drugs and psychotropic

substances act 1985

CLASSIFICATION OF POISONS ACCORDING TO MODE OF ACTION

Corrossives– Acids and alkalies

Irritants – Metallic, nonmetallic, organic vegetables,

animals, mechanicalNeurotics– Somniferous, inebrians

DeleriantsSpinalCardiacAsphyxiantsPeripheral poisons

CLASSIFICATION OF POISONS ACCORDING TO MODE OF ACTION …

ROUTE OF ADMINISTRATION

EnteralParenteralInhalaionalExternal applicationIntroduction into natural orifice

ACTION OF POISONS

LocalRemoteCombined remote and localGeneral action

FACTORS MODIFYING ACTION OF POISONS

Dose and quantityForm of poisonMethod of administrationCondition of the body

TYPE OF POISONING

AcuteChronicSub acuteFulminant

FATE OF POISONS IN THE BODY

DIAGNOSIS OF POISONING

In the Living

In the Dead

DIAGNOSIS OF POISONING - In the Living

A/c or C/c

DIAGNOSIS OF POISONING - In the Dead

PM examinationChemical analysis

MEDICO-LEGALDUTY OF DOCTOR IN SUSPECTED CASE OF POISONING

Medical Duties and Legal Duties

MEDICAL DUTY

Care and treatment of the patient

LEGAL DUTYAssist the police to determine the

manner of deathRecord the preliminary particulars

and keep the recordsAll cases need not be informed to the

policeIf patient dies, death certificate

should not be issued

TREATMENT OF POISONSRemoval of unabsorbed poisons from

the bodyImmediate resuscitative measuresUse of antidotsElimination of un absorbed poisonsTreatment of General Symptoms and

General MeasuresMaintenance of the patients general

condition and follow up

ANTIDOTS

Are remedies which counteract or neutralise the effect of poisons without causing appreciable harm to the body

CLASSIFICATION OF ANTIDOTS

Mechanical / PhysicalChemicalPhysiological / PharmacologicalUniversal

To Conclude