Lesson 1 Flashcards
(23 cards)
Epidemiology of Poisoning
> 1 million global poisoning cases annually; ~50,000 deaths/year in India. Underreporting common in developing nations.
Dioscorides (AD 40–80)
Greek physician who categorized poisons into animal, vegetable, and mineral groups.
Orfila (1787–1853)
Father of modern toxicology; linked autopsy findings to chemical analysis for poison detection.
Usual Fatal Dose (UFD)
Derived from animal/human data; based on Minimum Lethal Dose (MLD) and LD50 (lethal dose for 50% of test subjects).
Poisoning Severity Score
- 0 (None): No/minimal symptoms.
- 1 (Minor): Mild, transient symptoms.
- 2 (Moderate): Pronounced/prolonged symptoms.
- 3 (Severe): Life-threatening; requires advanced care.
POISINDEX & INTOX
Software used by Poison Control Centres; databases for 1M+ toxins, drugs, and antidotes.
Hemlock Execution
Socrates (470–399 BC) was executed via hemlock poisoning.
Poison Control Centre Services Offered
- Toxicological analysis of blood, urine, or stomach contents (vomitus, aspirate, or washing) for evidence of any poisonous substance or drug.
- Screening of urine for substances of abuse.
- Toxicological analysis of water samples for pesticides and chemicals.
Toxicological analysis of medicinal and other commercial products for toxic adulterants or contaminants. - Toxicological screening for common chemicals and poisons in chronic, undiagnosed ailments (skin disease, respiratory illnesses, gastrointestinal disorders, neurological disorders).
- Instant access to detailed information (free of charge) on poisons and poisoning through telephone, email, postal mail, personal contact, etc.
- Free expert guidance on diagnosis and treatment of all kinds of poisoning.
Toxicon
Greek root of “toxicology”; refers to poison used on arrowheads.
Rig Veda (12th century BC)
Ancient Indian text describing plant poisons.
Moses Maimonides (1198)
Authored Treatise on Poisons and Their Antidotes, reviving toxicology post-Roman era.
LD50
Lethal dose; kills 50% of tested animals in studies.
Nicander (204–135 BC)
Greek physician who pioneered experimental toxicology by testing poisons on condemned criminals.
Theophrastus (De Historia Plantarum, 370–286 BC)
Authored an early treatise on plant poisons, foundational to botanical toxicology.
Renaissance Toxicologists
- Ambroise Paré (1510–1590): Advanced wound treatment and poison management.
- William Piso (1611–1678): Studied tropical poisons and medicinal plants in colonial Brazil.
Traite des Poisons (1814)
Orfila’s foundational text establishing forensic toxicology via autopsy-linked chemical analysis.
Who Developed the Poison Severity Score?
Developed by the European Association of Poison Centres; guides treatment urgency (e.g., Grade 3 = life-threatening).
Paracelsus’ Dose-Response
Explicitly stated: “The dose makes the poison”—first scientific framework linking toxicity to quantity.
Arrow/Dart Poisons
Historically used for hunting (e.g., curare); origin of the term “toxicology” (Greek toxicon = poison for arrows).
Ordeal Poisons
- Physostigmine: Extracted from Calabar bean; used in West African “trial by ordeal.”
- Amygdalin: Found in peach pits; releases cyanide when metabolized.
O Costill (1848)
Published A Practical Treatise on Poisons, the first dedicated work on clinical toxicology.
Robert Christison (1797–1882)
Student of Orfila; simplified toxicology texts (A Treatise on Poisons, 1829), bridging forensic and clinical practice.
Renaissance Toxicologists
Ambroise Paré (1510–1590): Advanced wound treatment and poison management.
- William Piso (1611–1678): Studied tropical poisons and medicinal plants in colonial Brazil.
