PHOSPHORUS—­FOUND IN LUCIFER MATCHES AND SOME RAT POISONS.—­Symptoms:  Symptoms of irritant poisoning; pain in the stomach and bowels; vomiting; diarrhoea; tenderness and tension of the abdomen.  Treatment:  An emetic is to be promptly given; copious draughts containing magnesia in suspension:  mucilaginous drinks.  General treatment for inflammatory symptoms.

POISONOUS FISH.—­Symptoms:  In an hour or two—­often in much shorter time—­after the fish has been eaten, a weight at the stomach comes on, with slight vertigo and headache; sense of heat about the head and eyes; considerable thirst, and often an eruption of the skin.  Treatment:  After full vomiting, an active purgative should be given to remove any of the noxious matter from the intestines.  Vinegar and water may be drunk after the above remedies have operated, and the body may be sponged with the same.  Water made very sweet with sugar, with aromatic spirits of ammonia added, may be drunk freely as a corrective.  A solution of cholorate of potash, or of alkali, the latter weak, may be given to obviate the effect of the poison.  If spasms ensue after evacuation, laudanum in considerable doses it necessary.  If inflammation should occur, combat in the usual way.

POISONOUS MUSHROOMS.—–­ Symptoms:  Nausea, heat and pains in the stomach and bowels; vomiting and purging, thirst, convulsions and faintings, pulse small and frequent, dilated pupil and stupor, cold sweats and death.

Treatment:  The stomach and bowels are to be cleared by an emetic of ground mustard or sulphate of zinc, followed by frequent doses of Glauber of Epsom salts, and large stimulating clysters.  After the poison is evacuated, either may be given with small quantities of brandy and water.  But if inflammatory symptoms manifest themselves, such stimuli should be avoided, and these symptoms appropriately treated.

POTASH.—­See Alkali.

PRUSSIC ACID, HYDROCYANIC.—­See Acids.

POISON IVY.—­Symptoms.  Contact with, and with many persons the near approach to the vine, gives rise to violent erysipelatous inflammation, especially of the face and hands, attended with itching, redness, burning and swelling, with watery blisters.

Treatment:  Give saline laxatives, and apply weak lead and laudanum, or limewater and sweet oil, or bathe the parts freely with spirits of nitre.  Anointing with oil will prevent poisoning from it.

SALTPETRE, NITRATE OF POTASH.—­Symptoms.  Only poisonous in large quantities, and then causes nausea, painful vomiting, purging, convulsions, faintness, feeble pulse, cold feet and hands, with tearing pains in stomach and bowels.

Treatment:  Treat just as is directed for arsenic, for there is no antidote known, and emptying the stomach and bowels with mild drinks must be relied on.

SAVINE.—­Symptoms:  Sharp pains in the bowels, hot skin, rapid pulse, violent vomiting and sometimes purging, with great prostration.  Treatment:  Mustard and hot fomentations over the stomach and bowels, and ice only allowed in the stomach until the inflammation ceases.  If prostration comes on, food and stimulants must be given by injection.