Today on the market you can find a lot of products of dubious origin. Some of them look so good that people still buy them. As a result, poisoning often occurs. And if just food poisoning can be cured in half a day, then methanol poisoning is much more dangerous.
The enemy must know in person
Methyl alcohol is a colorless liquid with a characteristic alcohol smell. It is used in industry for the production of household chemicals: solvents, paints, and more. Sometimes methanol compounds are used in the manufacture of drugs. Methanol is poisonous and toxic, so you should handle it with extreme caution.
The trivial name for methanol is wood alcohol. It was first discovered by the Bowl in 1661, in the process of dry distillation of wood. In pure form, methyl alcohol began to be produced after 200 years. And in 1932, the method was discovered by which methanol is received to this day.
Methanol poisoning
Methanol poisoning is possible when it enters the body. This happens in two ways. The first is the use of products containing methyl alcohol. And the second is the inhalation of methanol vapor. Most often, poisoning occurs due to the use of low-quality alcohol. Not all manufacturers adhere to the recipes and think about the health of their customers, so instead of ethyl alcohol, methyl alcohol is often present in alcoholic beverages.
Sometimes alcohol poisoning is widespread due to the entry into the market of a large batch of substandard alcoholic beverages. In 2011, mass poisoning occurred in Turkey, and a year later in the Czech Republic.
Once in the human body, methanol breaks down into formic acid and farmaldehyde. Both substances are harmful to the liver, heart and many other internal organs.
How to protect yourself from methanol poisoning
When choosing alcohol, you need to check for licenses and certificates. It is advisable to purchase alcohol in well-known stores with trusted suppliers.
Drivers are constantly faced with various fluids, which may include methanol. To poison, just deeply inhale a pair of winter glass washer from an unreliable manufacturer. And poisoning can occur when this washer gets on the skin. Therefore, it is advisable to carry out all procedures with “anti-freeze” with gloves and in a ventilated area.
Those who work in the chemical industry are naturally also at risk of methyl alcohol poisoning. Well, methanol is waiting for ordinary people in varnishes, paints, solvents, some detergents, and so on. Banal security measures will help to avoid unpleasant consequences.
Methanol Poisoning: Symptoms
It is immediately worth noting that the strength of the effect of methanol on the body directly depends on the dose. Therefore, one should not expect with horror all of the following symptoms with mild poisoning.
The signs of methanol poisoning are quite extensive, because it acts to go to all internal organs. When ingested, methyl alcohol accumulates in the liver within a few minutes. However, the first symptoms appear after about eight hours. Among the problems with the gastrointestinal tract, one can distinguish the following signs of poisoning: nausea, cramping, flatulence, cutting pain in the stomach.
Methyl alcohol can even affect the organs of vision and hearing. Vision mainly suffers. With severe poisoning, it is almost impossible to recover. Vision begins to suffer gradually after methanol poisoning occurs. Symptoms are observed such: partial or complete blindness, ripples and pain in the eyes, blurred vision.
The effect of methanol on the nervous system is determined by such signs: cramps, trembling in the limbs, headache, fainting, irritability.
The cardiovascular system also responds to the ingestion of methyl alcohol. Blood pressure changes (rises or falls), the pulse quickens, pain may appear in the area of the heart. If the pressure rises, blood may flow from the nose.
If methanol gets on the skin, it is likely to cause a burn. With severe poisoning, a person can lose consciousness or even fall into a coma. This happens gradually, so with the slightest symptoms of intoxication it is worth taking drastic measures.
First aid
The time has come to say what needs to be done with methanol poisoning. So, first of all, you need to find out how the poison affects the body: in liquid form it enters the stomach, in the form of vapor it enters the lungs, or it enters the skin.
To cope with methanol poisoning, which was ingested with food or drinks, you need to start by washing the stomach. This is done using pure water or a small concentration of soda. After drinking a liter of liquid, you need to induce vomiting. This must be done several times at intervals of one hour. In addition to the stomach, a large amount of methanol can accumulate in the intestines. Therefore, in parallel with gastric lavage, an enema or laxative should be taken.
It will be much easier to cope with methanol poisoning, which got into the body in the form of vapors. It is enough just to provide the victim with an influx of clean air. It will be best to go outside, but you can simply open the windows. No need to make sudden movements. Inhaling the air is both deep and shallow breaths. To be safe, you can also carry out a gastric lavage. Only in extreme cases, when the dose of methanol was critical, it will be necessary to do mechanical ventilation.
If methanol gets on the skin and forms burns, they should be wiped with ethyl alcohol. It is also important to ensure good skin ventilation.
If the victim has convulsions, chills, or loss of consciousness, you need to give him a horizontal position. Cover with a blanket and raise your head with a pillow. Best if the person is lying on his side.
Ethanol is often used as an antidote to cope with methanol poisoning . It breaks down methanol and accelerates its removal from the body. Small doses of a 40% solution of ethanol (vodka) are taken every three hours.
When the first symptoms of poisoning appear, you must definitely call a doctor!
What can not be done
So, having figured out what to do in case of methanol poisoning, it is worthwhile to find out what cannot be done so as not to harm the health of the victim. There is no need to deal with treatment on your own: all the above methods are needed only to normalize a person’s condition until an ambulance arrives. It is not worth taking any medications that increase or lower blood pressure, relieve headaches and fight other particular symptoms.
If poisoning has occurred through the respiratory system, do not need enemas. If methanol is on the skin, do not try to relieve pain with ointments and creams for burns. Give the victim an antidote (ethanol) should be dosed, and only if the person is conscious. The dose should be considered as follows: 1 gram of pure ethanol (2.5 g of vodka) per 1 kilogram of body weight. Doing any droppers at home is undesirable.
If there is no certainty that methanol was the cause of the poisoning, it is better not to use ethyl alcohol, as it can do harm. If the victim is unconscious, he should not be left alone. He should not lie on his stomach or back. In the first case, air access will be impaired, in the second - with vomiting, you can choke.
In case of methanol poisoning, you must be extremely careful not to harm the victim. With very severe poisoning, even a fatal outcome is possible, therefore, actions must be quick and decisive. You can cope with methanol poisoning, the main thing is to follow all the above tips.
Recovery from poisoning
After the first aid was provided, the victim must be taken to the hospital so that the specialists continue treatment. Treatment will consist of two stages: maintaining the body in good shape and restoring functions that have been impaired. In case of complex poisoning, when a critical amount of methanol enters the body, blood is cleaned.
The rehabilitation program depends on which organs are hardest hit. As a rule, the organs of vision are the worst. The treatment course includes the intake of vitamins, special exercises, and sometimes surgical intervention.
If methanol enters the body through the respiratory system and affects the mucosa, carry out a course of inhalation. With the help of herbal preparations, it turns out to heal and disinfect internal organs.
Whatever the poisoning, after it, general rehabilitation is needed. It includes rest, taking vitamins, following a diet, and more.
Conclusion
No one is safe from methanol poisoning, and even a specialist can accidentally get a dose of methyl alcohol from low-quality food. Everyone is mistaken, to recall at least the film "The error of the engineer Cochin" (1939). But those who are knowledgeable in this matter will be able to save their lives and those of others.