Poisoning and overdose are true emergencies, sometimes as "spectacular" as a bee stung child (with all the noise and confusion associated with that type of event,) and sometimes as  quiet as the elderly over-medicated person who lives alone and "just can't remember" whether or not they took their pills today (consequently, taking 2, 3 or even 4 times the prescribed amount of medication.)

There are several ways for toxins to get "into" the body.  They can be ingested, inhaled, absorbed or injected.

For ingested and injected toxins or medications, there isn't a whole heck of a lot that you can do, to undo what the patient's done or what has occurred.  The most important "job" here is to keep "it" from occurring any more (or again) and to monitor the patient's respiration (intervene if he/she stops breathing.)  What we would like to accomplish is to have the substance (toxin or medication) dwell in one place in the body until a medical professional (doctor) can isolate, remove, or neutralize it.  Since it is most likely going to be carried "around" the body by the bloodstream, it would be helpful if we could "slow down" the blood flow through the body and consequently "buy some time" in order to get the patient to a doctor.  At this level, we can't.  We can, however, prevent the blood flow from going any faster by keeping the patient calm.  Save any containers (cleaning fluid bottles, pill bottles, etc.) and send them to the hospital, they will contain additional useful information  for the doctor (even if they have no label, residue inside the container can be analyzed.)

Do not attempt to induce vomiting, or try to suck the poison out or any wound.  This will only make matters worse.

If the toxin is being absorbed (through the skin) then we need to remove the substance (as completely as possible) from the skin.  DO NOT FORGET about, or disregard your own personal safety.  If the substance that is on the patient's skin is "poisoning" the patient and you get the same substance on your skin, IT WILL POISON YOU.  If the substance is dry or powdery,  it needs to be brushed off the skin as completely as possible, then flushed from the skin with copious amounts of water.  If the substance is a liquid then it needs to be immediately flushed from the skin with copious amounts of water.  Having the patient in a bathtub or shower would supply the required amounts of water in order to accomplish this goal.

If the toxin is being inhaled, the patient needs to be removed from the toxic environment.  This presents a very dangerous situation for the "first aider" because the rescue cannot be accomplished without exposing the rescuer to the toxic environment.  Professional rescuers will have special equipment that will allow them to enter this "unsafe scene" (without direct exposure) and escort the victims to a safer location.  For the first aider, the best approach would be to try and encourage the victim to walk out of the area that is toxic to a safer location.

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