James Bond College poison

In the movies, like Casino Royale, James Bond has been poisoned. “00” Agents need to know how to apply first aid to themselves or others to include from poisoning. These lessons are not intended to be used as a method for teaching first aid. For proper first aid training, consult your local hospital or American Red Cross.

In the context of biology, poisons are substances that can cause injury, illness, or death to organisms, usually by chemical reaction or other activity on the molecular scale, when a sufficient quantity is absorbed by an organism. Venoms are usually defined as biologic toxins that are injected to cause their effect, while poisons are generally defined as substances which are absorbed through epithelial linings such as the skin or gut.

Throughout human history, intentional application of poison has been used as a method of assassination, murder, suicide and execution. Acute poisoning is exposure to a poison on one occasion or during a short period of time. Symptoms develop in close relation to the exposure. Chronic poisoning is long-term repeated or continuous exposure to a poison where symptoms do not occur immediately or after each exposure. The patient gradually becomes ill, or becomes ill after a long latent period.

Contact or absorption of poisons can cause rapid death or impairment. Agents that act on the nervous system can paralyze in seconds or less, and include both biologically derived neurotoxins and so-called nerve gases, which may be synthesized for warfare or industry.

Inhaled or ingested cyanide as used as method of execution on US gas chambers almost instantly starves the body of energy by inhibiting the enzymes in mitochondria that make ATP. Intravenous injection of an unnaturally high concentration of potassium chloride, such as in the execution of prisoners in parts of the United States, quickly stops the heart by eliminating the cell potential necessary for muscle contraction.

The best remedy for poison is prevention. Watch your drink or food closely and never leave it alone. Treatment for ingested poison involves diluting the poison and getting it out of the stomach before it is absorbed into the system. This lesson is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice or treatment. To treat yourself for poisoning, follow the steps below.

STEP 1: Identify the source of the poison: Was it a petroleum or corrosive chemical product (camping stove fuel, bleach?)? Was it a plant, food or drug?

STEP 2: Induce vomiting immediately if the following conditions are true: The poisoned person is fully conscious and coherent; you determine that the poison was not from a petroleum or corrosive chemical product. Vomiting may be induced by having the person drink a mixture of 2 tbsp. of syrup of ipecac with a half liter of water.

STEP 3: Administer another dose of syrup of ipecac (see below) and water after 20 minutes if the person had not yet vomited.

STEP 4: Mix 5 tbsp. of Activated Charcoal with a small amount of water after the vomiting has ceased. This mixture will absorb what is left in the stomach.

STEP 5: Drink copious amounts of water after vomiting to dilute the poison.

STEP 6: Save a sample of the ingested substance for identification.

STEP 7: Evacuate to a hospital immediately.

If syrup of ipecac is unavailable, vomiting can be induced using one of the following methods: drink 2 tbsp. of mild soap or 1 tbsp. of dried mustard mixed with a half liter of water; tickle the back of the throat or any other method which works such as salt water (as seen in the movie Casino Royale).

Do not induce vomiting if you suspect the person has ingested a petroleum or corrosive chemical product. Vomiting may further damage the esophagus and lungs as the poison comes back up.

Do not induce vomiting if the person is unconscious, disoriented, or having seizures. The vomit may obstruct the airway. If an unconscious poison victim begins to vomit, turn her on one side to keep the airway open.

Paramedics have something called Activated Charcoal which they administer to a patient who has swallowed a poison and is better and safer than syrup of Ipecac. The Activated Charcoal then binds with the poison in the stomach and prevents absorption by the body. If paramedic support is available, always use them first. Syrup of Ipecac is not as effective as Activated Charcoal and can be dangerous. The vomiting that ensues after ingestion of the Ipecac is excessively violent, the patient suffers severe abdominal cramping, and only about 2/3 of the stomach contents are emptied, leaving poison still in the stomach enabling the body to absorb it. There are also long-term effects of the Ipecac. Some traces of the Ipecac will build up in the body's tissues, which could later on affect the heart and lead to dysrhythmias. For those with heart disease or who are genetically predisposed to heart disease are at greater risk for these dysrhythmias, which could be fatal. If someone swallows a poison, always call 911 and let the professionals care for the patient.

“00” Agents should know the antidote for different poisons. An antidote is a substance which can counteract a form of poisoning. Sometimes, the antidote for a particular toxin is manufactured by injecting the toxin into an animal in small doses and the resulting antibodies are extracted from the animals' blood. The venom produced by some snakes, spiders, and other venomous animals is often treatable by the use of these antivenoms, although a number do lack one, and a bite or sting from such an animal often results in death.

Some toxins have no known antidote. For example, the poison ricin, which is produced from the waste byproduct of castor oil manufacture, has no antidote and as a result is often fatal if it enters the human body in sufficient quantities.

Ingested poisons are frequently treated by the oral administration of activated charcoal, which adsorbs the poison, and then it is flushed from the digestive tract, removing a large part of the toxin. Poisons which are injected into the body (such as those from bites or stings from venomous animals) are usually treated by the use of a constriction band which limits the flow of lymph and/or blood to the area, thus slowing circulation of the poison around the body.

Below are some common poisons and their antidotes.

· Acetaminophen (paracetamol) poisoning is given N-acetylcysteine as the antidote.

· Anticholinergic poisoning is given Physostigmine sulfate as the antidote.

· Benzodiazepine poisoning is given flumazenil as the antidote.

· Carbon monoxide poisoning is given oxygen as the antidote.

· Anticholinesterase poisoning is given atropine sulfate and Pralidoxime chloride 2-PAM as the antidote.

· Cyanide poisoning is given amyl nitrite, sodium nitrite, and thiosulfate as the antidote.

· Digoxin poisoning is given anti digoxin fab fragments as the antidote.

· Ethylene glycol poisoning is given ethanol or fomepizole as the antidote.

· Extrapyramidal signs poisoning is given diphenhydramine hydrochloride and benztropine mesylate as the antidote.

· Heavy metal poisoning is given chelators, calcium disodium edetate (EDTA), dimercaprol (BAL), penicillamine, and 2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA, succimer) as the antidote.

· Iron poisoning is given deferoxamine mesylate as the antidote.

· Isoniazid poisoning is given pyridoxine as the antidote.

· Methanol poisoning is given ethanol or fomepizole as the antidote.

· Methemoglobinemia poisoning is given methylene blue as the antidote.

· Opioid poisoning is given naloxone hydrochloride as the antidote.

· Thallium poisoning is given Prussian blue as the antidote.

· Warfarin poisoning is given vitamin K phytonadione and fresh frozen plasma as the antidote.

“00” Agent Skill Sets - Poison

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