First Aid 1 First aid is the kind of medical that are given to a victim of an accident or sudden sickness before trained medical help can arrive. First aid techniques are often simple. They can be taught to people of all ages. And learning them is important. Knowing how to treat someone in an emergency can mean the difference beween life and death. 2 Thousands of persons die each year after eating or drinking poison substances. Experts say most accidental poisonings happen in or near the home. And most are caused by substances we commonly use at home: medical supplies, insect poisons or cleaning fluids. There are several common signs of poisoning. A sudden feeling of pain or sickness. Burns in the area of the mouth. Or an unusual smell coming from a person's mouth. 3 Health experts generally advise poison victims to drink water or milk. But never give liquids to someone who is not awake or to those having a violent reaction to the poison. Next, seek help from trained medical experts. Save material expelled from the mouth for doctors to examine. Save the container of the suspected poison to answer questions the doctors may have. The container also may describe a substance that halts the poison's effects. Use this substance without delay. 4 The American Red Cross says all homes should have at least three substances to deal with poisoning. One, syrup of ipecac(吐根糖浆),is a fluid that helps the body expel material from the stomach. Another, activated charcoal (活性炭), lessens the danger of poisons. The other material, epsom salts(泻盐), helps to speed the release of body wastes. All three should be used only on the advice of a medical expert. 5 The Red Cross says expulsion (清除) of material from the stomach—vomiting (呕吐)— sometimes may be started if medical advice is delayed. But it says vomiting should be used only when it is known the victim took too much of what is called a general poison, such as a medicine. The experts say never cause vomiting if the victim was poisoned by a petroleum product or by a substance that was a strong acid or a strong alkali(碱). These victims should be taken to a medical center as soon as possible. A Actions Taken to Help