What is the difference between poisoning and accidental first aid?

The core difference between the two is that the underlying logic and treatment priorities of first aid are completely different - first aid for poisoning is centered around "poisons", while first aid for ordinary accidental injuries is centered around "vital signs and degree of injury".

I have been doing pre-hospital first aid for almost 5 years, and I have encountered this difference too many times. The two cases that were discharged last month are particularly typical. A young man who shared a house ate wild poisonous mushrooms purchased online. When he first arrived at the scene, he could still speak clearly. Our first reaction was not to give him an injection or measure his blood pressure. We first held his wrist and asked him how much he had eaten, how long he had eaten, and whether there were any samples left to confirm that it was not enough. After 2 hours, I immediately used a tongue depressor to induce vomiting. At the same time, I called the emergency department I received later to reserve a bed for gastric lavage. I specifically asked him to bring poisonous mushroom samples so that they could match the corresponding detoxification plan. I didn’t dare to take my eyes off his oximeter during the whole process, for fear that muscarine would affect the respiratory muscle function.

Another police officer who was dispatched on the same day was a junior high school student who fell down the steps of a non-motorized road while running after school. He hit his head hard and his legs were swollen. When we arrived, our first reaction was to squat down and pat him on the shoulder and call his name. After confirming that he was conscious, we first felt the carotid artery and scanned his mouth and nose to see if there was any foreign matter blocking it. , and after checking that his pupils were not dilated, I dared to touch his leg. When I fixed him with a splint, I specifically told him not to move around to prevent the fractured end from poking nearby blood vessels and nerves. During the whole process, there was no need to worry about whether he stepped on the air or was pushed. As long as the most serious risk at present was eliminated first.

Of course, not all situations can be so clearly drawn. When we did case studies on our website before, we also discussed the differences in the treatment of compound injuries. For example, if someone jumped into a river after drinking dichlorvos and was rescued, should it be treated first as poisoning or as an accident such as drowning? In fact, there is no standard answer. First responders with different qualifications will also have different judgment tendencies. The core depends on which situation is more critical at the scene. If the patient has stopped breathing when rescued, he must first perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation to stabilize vital signs, and prepare to decontaminate the skin and insert a gastric tube. The two go hand in hand, and classification rules will not be imposed.

To put it bluntly, the difference between the two is like cleaning up a mess at home. If you spill an ink bottle (poisoning), you have to move the ink bottle that hasn't been knocked over first, and then quickly wipe the ink that has spilled. It's best to have a special ink remover. If you don't have it, cover it with something that can absorb it to prevent the ink from seeping into the cracks of the floor.； If you drop a glass (an ordinary accident), you must first be careful not to step on the broken glass and scratch your feet, and then pick up the big pieces to avoid scratching people. As for how the glass was dropped, that is something to consider after cleaning up later.

For us ordinary people, there is no need to be too strict about the boundaries between the two. If something happens, call 120 as soon as possible and explain clearly what the person has eaten, how he was injured, and what his current condition is. It is much more useful than trying to classify things by yourself.