is that branch of science which deals with the study
of poisons, their origin, physical and chemical
properties, physiological action, treatment of their
noxious effect, and methods of detection.
TOXIC – means poison
OLOGY – means science
The word "toxicology" comes from the Greek words
"toxikon" (poison) and "logos" (study). It was first
used in the 17th century by the German physician
Paracelsus, who said that "all substances are
poisons, there is none which is not a poison. The
right dose differentiates a poison and a remedy."
POISON – from the medical point of
view, is a substance which when
introduced into the body and is
absorbed through the blood stream
and acting chemically is capable of
producing noxious effect or destroys
life.
CLASSIFICATION OF
POISON
According to kingdom
A. Animal – ex. Cantharide
B. Vegetable – ex. Strychnine
According to kingdom
A. Animal – ex. Cantharide
B. Vegetable – ex. Strychnine
According to chemical
properties :
A. Inorganic Poison
a. Volatile and Non-volatile – ex. Bromine,
chlorine, iodine, sulfuric acid
b. Mineral Acid – ex. Hydrochloric Acid
c. Mineral Alkalies – ex. Sodium
hydroxide
B. Organic Poison
a. Volatile – ex. Alcohol, chloroform
b. Alkaloids – are nitrogenous organic
basic compound with bitter taste
containing usually oxygen that occurs
specially in seed plants, ex. Strychnine
c. Animal Poison – ex. Snake venom
d. Bacterial – ex. Ptomaine
e. Organic Poison – ex. Salicylic Acid
f. Glucosides – ex. Digitalis
3. According to Psychological
Action
a. Corrosives – highly irritant poisons which causes local
destruction of tissues and characterized by nausea,
vomiting, great local distress.
Ex. Strong Acids and Alkalies
b. Irritants – one which produces irritation or
inflammation of the mucus membrane and characterized
by vomiting, pain in abdomen, and purging.
Ex. Arsenic
c. Narcotics – poisons which produce stupor, complete
insensibility, or loss of feeling.
d. Neurotics – one which acts chiefly on the nervous
system producing delirium convulsion, and respiration as
the outstanding symptoms.
Ex. CO, alcohol, opium and strychnine
e. Tetanics– substance which act directly upon the spinal
columns producing such spasmodic and continuous
contraction of muscles as a result of stiffness or immobility
of the parts to which they are attached
f. Depressants or Sedatives – agents which retard or
depress the psychological action of an organ.
Ex. Nicotine, cocaine
g. Asthenics or Exhaustive – agents which produce
exhaustion, marked loss of vital or muscular power.
Ex. Hydrocyanic Acid
TYPES OF POISONING
A. From medical point of view
B. From the Legal point of view
TYPES OF POISONING FROM THE MEDICAL POINT OF
VIEW
1. Acute Poisoning – one which there is prompt and marked
disturbance of function or death within a short time. Due to
either taking a strong poison in excessive single dose or
several doses at a short interval.
2. Sub-acute Poisoning – Cases of short duration and extreme
violence which may include symptoms of chronic poisoning
3. Chronic Poisoning – Kind of poisoning in which there is
gradual deterioration of function of tissues and may or may not
result in death. It is produced by either taking several small
doses at long intervals or taking only toxic doses of the drug.
TYPES OF POISONING FROM THE LEGAL POINT OF
VIEW
1. Accidental Poisoning – those in which the poison was
taken without the intention to cause death. It may be taken by
mistake or without knowing that it is poisonous.
2. Suicidal Poisoning – those in which the poison was taken
by the victim voluntarily for the purpose of taking his own life.
3. Homicidal Poisoning – those in which the poison was given
willfully, want only, and with intent to cause death to the victim.
4. Undetermined – those in which the history is hazy as to how
the person was obtained and why it was administered.
KINDS OF DOSE
1. Safe Dose – one that does not cause
harmful effect
2. Toxic or Poisonous Dose – one that is
harmful to both healthy and sick
3. Lethal Dose –one that kills
4. Minimum Dose – is the smallest amount
that will produce the therapeutic effect
without causing harm
5. Maximum dose – is the largest amount
that will cause no harm but at the same time
produce the desired therapeutic effect.
ENTRANCE OF POISON
Poison May Enter the Body Through:
1. Mouth and are absorbed into the circulation
after passing through the stomach and
intestinal wall.
2. Nose and enter the blood from the upper
respiratory passages or lungs.
3. Eyes
4. Rectum, vagina, urethra, bladder and ureter
by injection
5. Hypodermic injection
6. Intravenous injection
POISONS MAY BE 5. Feces
ELIMINATED BY:
6. Sweat
1. Emesis
7. Urine
2. Milk
8. Tears
3. Respiration
4. Saliva
1. Removal of poison from the stomach
2. Administration of antidotes
3. Elimination of poisons by excretion
4. Stimulation and other symptomatic treatment
5. Special treatment
If the poison is taken orally the removal of the poison is
brought about by:
1. Inducing vomiting using emetics
EMETIC – a substance or agent which produces vomiting
2. Use of stomach pump or stomach tube
If the poison is applied or instilled – wash
If the poison is injected – ligatures and bleeding
ANTIDOTES – agents which neutralize a poison or
otherwise counteract or oppose it
or its effects.
KINDS OF ANTIDOTES:
1. Mechanical antidote
2. Chemical antidote
3. Physiological antidote
Poisons are eliminated through excretory organs. Made by
intravenous
infusion of saline solution, dilute alkali solution or dilute
solution of glucose. The poison
is generally excreted through the urine, feces, vomitus or
saliva.
STIMULATION OF OTHER SYMPTOMATIC TREATMENT
1. for excessive pain- morphine or another analgesic
2. for convulsion- chloroform
3. for shock- oxygen inhalation
a. if the poison is gas- immediate need is fresh air and artificial
respiration
b. if poisoning is external, like burn on the hand by
concentrated acid- wash with plenty of water or with alcohol,
sodium bicarbonate, lime water, milk of
magnesia
c. if alkali burn- wash with lemon or other citrus fruits
d. if the poison has come from a bite or injection- the poison
can be checked from spreading through the body by applying
tourniquet or a restricting band tightly above the wound. This
retard the absorption of poison by the blood. The poison may
then be removed by sucking.
In the investigation of fatal 3. the length of time that may
poisoning cases, it is not elapse after the poison has been
necessary that an investigator taken before
should be an expert on the death occurs
poisons, since he will be
assisted in his investigation by a 4. where the poison was
medico-legal officer and a obtained
toxicologist, but it is important 5. the chemical formula of the
and will be of great help to him poison
if he knows the following:
6.
1. symptoms of various kinds of marketother names it is known in the
poisoning
2. the lethal dose of the poison 7. uses of poison
8. antidote for the poison
The evidence of poisoning will depend upon whether the
poisoning is acute or chronic. In acute poisoning the
symptoms appear suddenly while the individual is in
good health. The person is usually affected with a group of
symptoms of definite characteristics out of consonance
with his previous state of health. In chronic poisoning, the
onset of symptoms is more gradual and insidious due to
the small quantity of poison which has been administered
on such occasion since the intention of the poisoner is to
kill his victim slowly in order to avert suspicion.
In all cases of poisoning whether homicidal or suicidal, fatal or not, the
presence of poison must be proved and proofs of poisoning in the
dead may be obtained from:
1. Post-Mortem Examination or Autopsy- an examination of a dead
body specially to determine the cause of death
2. Evidence from Chemical Analysis of the Organs Taken from the
Body- the most important proof of poisoning is the detection of the
poison within the body. In some cases, however, on account of the
decomposition of the tissue, the lapse of time between death and
examination, and the instability of some poisons, negative results may
be obtained even if at the time of death certain poisons are present.
1. Was the death or illness of the 6. Is the substance given in minute
subject caused by the poison? quantity a poison?
2. What poison produced the illness 7. Was the poison taken sufficient
or death? quantity to produce death?
3. When and how was the poison 8. May poisoning have occurred and
administered? the poison either be or become
4. Could the substance have undetectable?
administered cause illness or death? 9. May the poison extracted from the
5. Was the poison found by the body have an origin other than that of
toxicologist in the body the poison poisoning?
which caused
death? 10. May the poisoning be stimulated?
