In pure form, chlorine is a yellowish green gas with a characteristic pungent odor. The substance is easily condensed and soluble in liquids. In everyday life, chlorine and chloride compounds are used in bleach, detergents and disinfectants, tablets and liquids for dishwashers, and products from mold.
Symptoms of chlorine poisoning
Poisoning occurs due to the inhalation of chlorine, and the severity and severity of the symptoms directly depends on the degree of poisoning. In everyday life, as a rule, there is an easy form of chlorine poisoning, which in symptoms is similar to acute tracheitis or tracheobronchitis. In this case, there are observed:
- Persecution in the throat ;
- dry spasmodic cough;
- attacks of suffocation;
- increased salivation;
- lacrimation and pain in the eyes;
- headache.
If chlorine poisoning is obtained in the pool (such cases are rare, but possible if the water is excessively chlorinated), skin irritation may be added to the symptoms described above.
With more severe forms of poisoning, mental disorders, respiratory tract spasms, pulmonary edema, convulsions are possible. In acute cases, there is a stopping of breathing and death.
Treatment of chlorine poisoning
Since chlorine poisoning is a condition that is often life-threatening, self-management of it is unacceptable, and with the first symptoms it is urgent to call an ambulance.
Before the arrival of doctors you need:
- Isolate the patient from the source of poisoning.
- Ensure free access to fresh air.
- In case of contact with substances containing chlorine in the eyes or on the skin, rinse thoroughly
a lot of water. - If swallowed chlorine-containing formulations - induce vomiting and rinse the stomach immediately.
When chlorine is poisoned in small quantities (in domestic conditions it occurs much more often than acute form), without pronounced acute symptoms, most of the measures described above are not necessary, but an emergency visit to the doctor is mandatory at the slightest suspicion of chlorine poisoning. This is due to the fact that the consequences of such poisoning can be the development of chronic and sufficiently severe lesions of the respiratory system.