Filled with bad gas. Help with gasoline poisoning

26.04.2019

Miscellaneous

Poisoning by various chemicals is always dangerous for the body. This applies to medicines detergents, gasoline, kerosene, vinegar, etc. All of these substances not only damage the digestive tract, but also have a toxic effect on other systems. Unfortunately, situations where these harmful chemical compounds mistakenly enter the body, sometimes they happen. Therefore, it is necessary to know the answer to such a question: "What will happen if you drink gasoline or another substance?" You also need to have an idea of how to provide first aid to a person in this situation.

Why is gasoline dangerous?

As you know, gasoline is a substance used as a fuel for cars. In addition, it is also used for other purposes. For example, for wiping surfaces contaminated with paint, etc. Gasoline contains substances that adversely affect the human body, so safety precautions must be observed when handling it. This applies not only to workers filling stations but also motorists. In addition, the substance can enter the body of the child. The answer to the question "What happens if you drink gasoline?" depends on how much fuel was consumed, and how much time has passed since it entered the digestive tract. It is worth remembering that this chemical is toxic if inhaled. Therefore, a long stay near its fumes is also dangerous.

Causes of gasoline ingestion

In most cases, this substance is in the body of children and gas station workers. The first swallow fuel accidentally, for the sake of interest or because of the desire to drink. The substance enters the body of gas station workers when trying to suck it out of the hose. Also, fuel is often swallowed by people repairing a car and spending time in the garage. This is not intentional, but by accident. Fuel can be confused with juice or drink.

Another reason for gasoline to enter the body is the suicidal tendencies of unbalanced people. This fuel is used for this purpose infrequently. Nevertheless, hospital employees are sometimes found poisoning adolescents with this substance.

Another group of people exposed to toxic effects are those who wonder what happens if they drink gasoline. In some cases, it turns out that they are mentally unbalanced. It is worth remembering that you need to use gasoline only when necessary. In no case should such experiments be carried out. It is also important to follow safety precautions while working with this substance.

Symptoms of poisoning

The clinical picture of gasoline poisoning depends on how it got into the body. With a long stay in a room saturated with the smell of this fuel, its vapors are inhaled. Poisoning can occur in mild and severe degrees. It depends on the concentration of vapors that have entered the respiratory tract. With a slight intoxication, the following symptoms appear in a person: nausea, weakness and dizziness, tachycardia, excitation of the nervous system.

Timely assistance and stay in the fresh air will help to get out of this state. Severe intoxication has the following symptoms: convulsions, loss of consciousness, fever and hallucinations. This requires urgent hospitalization of the patient in the intensive care unit. In cases where a person accidentally drank gasoline, other symptoms bother him. Their severity depends on the residence time of the fuel in the body, as well as on its amount. The clinical picture of gasoline poisoning may include the following manifestations:

Vomiting with blood.
Severe pain in the abdomen and behind the sternum.
Diarrhea.
Hepatomegaly.
Headache.
Yellowing of the sclera.

What happens if you drink gasoline: harmful effects on the body

Since gasoline is considered a toxic substance, it has an adverse effect on various organs and systems. Its damaging effect depends on the mechanism of penetration. With prolonged contact of gasoline with the skin, a chemical burn develops. In addition, the fuel penetrates through the epidermis into the circulatory system. Inhalation of the substance leads to blockage of the bronchial tract, causing respiratory failure.

Another option for the penetration of fuel into the body is the oral route. This happens when you drink gasoline. The consequences can be as follows: the substance leads to a burn of the mucous membrane of the digestive tract. As a result, the epithelium of the oral cavity, pharynx, esophagus and stomach is destroyed. If help is not provided in time, the mucous membrane of the esophagus is also burned.

Regardless of the route of penetration of gasoline, its prolonged presence in the body leads to the absorption of the substance into the blood. This causes a general toxic reaction: damage to the liver, nervous system.

What to do if you drank gasoline: first aid for poisoning

Gasoline poisoning is one of the most common intoxications. People quite often go to the hospital with the corresponding symptoms. In some cases, parents call the ambulance station to ask what to do if the child has drunk gasoline. In these cases, it is necessary to strictly follow the doctor's instructions without panicking.

It should be remembered that inducing vomiting does not apply to measures to remove gasoline from the body. It only creates additional complications - the ingress of fuel into the respiratory system. Until the ambulance arrives, the patient can drink a glass of water or milk. This will dilute the gasoline, causing its concentration to decrease. Also, for this purpose, you can use it. At a high concentration of gasoline, gastric lavage is necessary. In order not to damage the mucous membrane of the oral cavity, the probe is inserted through the nose. After washing, it is recommended to drink activated charcoal to reduce the toxic effect.

Help in a hospital setting

If gasoline is absorbed into the blood, gastric lavage will not help to remove intoxication. If the patient has symptoms such as a convulsive state and loss of consciousness, it is necessary to immediately take him to the hospital. After examination, the patient is hospitalized in the intensive care unit and resuscitation. There, doctors monitor vital signs (heart rate, respiratory rate, diuresis) and carry out drug treatment. To remove the patient is injected with saline, glucose. In case of severe injury, a blood transfusion is necessary.

Prevention of poisoning with gasoline and other chemicals

So that the question of what to do if you drank gasoline does not arise, you must treat this substance with caution. This is especially true for employees of gas stations, motorists. It is worth knowing that it is impossible to suck gasoline from a hose! You should also carefully supervise children, do not leave fuel in accessible places.

Gasoline is quite common in people's daily lives. This fuel is not only refueled motor vehicles but also used as a solvent. Gasoline evaporates easily, so it quickly enters the respiratory tract of a person, in addition, accidental ingestion of this substance is possible. According to the effect on the human nervous system, this fuel is classified as a narcotic. Gasoline poisoning can be acute or chronic.

Where can you get poisoned with gasoline

You can get poisoned by gasoline vapors a large number of people whose lives are somehow connected with this substance. Although there are also cases of penetration of a combustible substance into the body through the mouth, most often through negligence. The main cases when you can get poisoning:

When performing work at gas stations.
Work at enterprises associated with the oil refining industry.
During repair work that involves painting surfaces and using gasoline as a solvent.
At motorists during the transfusion of gasoline with a funnel and a rubber tube, when the fuel is sucked in by mouth.

There is a high chance of swallowing gasoline during a transfusion if it is drawn into the mouth. To suck the liquid, you must use a rubber pear!

General characteristics of the liquid

Every day, many people use gasoline for their needs. First of all, they refuel cars and other equipment. Because of their specifications it has found application in the industry that produces paint and varnish and rubber products.

If the room is warm, then the liquid quickly evaporates and accumulates in the lower layers of the atmosphere, since gasoline has a high density relative to air.

The toxicity of the fuel is given by hydrocarbons, which have a narcotic property. Aromatic hydrocarbons are of particular concern. Due to its increased volatility, inhalation of gasoline vapors is a very common occurrence. It most often enters the body through the respiratory tract, but there are cases when a person accidentally sipped gasoline or poisoning occurred as a result of exposure to a substance on large areas of the skin.

Depending on how much the substance got into the human body and how long the contact with the chemical lasted, there are intoxications of varying severity and with different consequences.

Acute and chronic form of gasoline poisoning

When there is contact with fuel for a relatively short time, a person may experience signs of poisoning with gasoline vapors, they are very similar to alcohol intoxication.

The victim is very excited, he develops a feeling of euphoria and uncontrollable laughter appears.
Weakness appears in the limbs, the skin turns a little red.
There is dizziness, there is a disorder of coordination.
The mucous membranes of the respiratory system are irritated.
There may be nausea and vomiting.
There is a noticeable tachycardia, the patient feels a rapid heartbeat.

Symptoms of gasoline poisoning may be accompanied by other health changes, such as a nervous tic, accompanied by twitching of the limbs.

With severe poisoning, the symptoms of the victim are exacerbated:

he falls into an unconscious state;
the temperature rises to very high levels;
convulsions are noticeable;
hallucinations may occur.

The lightning-fast degree of poisoning occurs in places where the concentration of a combustible substance is very high. This usually happens during emergencies when gasoline is spilled over large areas, but it can also be in production, during manual cleaning of industrial tanks. A person who enters such a zone without protective equipment loses consciousness and stops breathing.

It is possible to eliminate the consequences of accidents as a result of oil spills, but only using means personal protection!

Gasoline inflammation of the lungs is the consequences of aspiration of fuel into different parts of the lungs. This can happen when you try to drain gasoline from a car tank and suck it into a rubber tube with your mouth. The consequences of getting a substance into the mouth and then into the lungs are characterized by changes in the state of health:

there is pain in the side of the lung, which is damaged;
the skin becomes bluish in color;
there is shortness of breath during physical exertion, and if the condition is serious, then during a period of calm;
there is a cough with an admixture of blood, sputum looks like rust;
general state the victim rapidly deteriorates and the temperature rises.

If gasoline was accidentally swallowed and entered the stomach, then this leads to the following conditions:

indomitable vomiting;
diarrhea with an admixture of blood;
paroxysmal pain in the abdomen;
the skin and membranes of the eyes turn yellow - this indicates liver damage;
there is a general weakness.

Chronic poisoning is obtained during prolonged work with fuel and is characterized by symptoms:

the nervous system is disturbed. This is manifested by hysteria and depressive moods;
efficiency decreases, a person complains of chronic weakness and fatigue;
there is a drop in blood pressure, sleep is disturbed and the sense of smell worsens;
there are systematic failures in the digestive system;
women of childbearing age suffer from menstrual disorders, their reproductive function is impaired.

With constant contact of gasoline with the skin, eczema or chronic inflammation of the epidermis begins.

Substance abuse is a common hobby, especially among teenagers. They sniff gasoline to achieve euphoria and hallucinations. The special characteristics of this dangerous hobby are rapid addiction and malfunction of the nervous system, with severe consequences for the intellect.

If adults do not notice changes in the behavior of a teenager in time and do not stop puffing, then the teenager may remain disabled!

First aid for fuel poisoning

First aid for gasoline poisoning is based on a series of medical measures that are aimed at alleviating the condition of the victim. The sequence of actions should be like this:

The victim is taken out to fresh air if the poisoning occurred indoors, or isolated from a place where there are gasoline vapors.
They give a lot to drink. The temperature of the liquid should correspond to body temperature - this allows you to quickly remove toxic substances from the body.
They put the person to bed and cover him well. The head should be tilted to one side to avoid choking with vomit.
Give adsorbents to reduce the absorption of toxins into the bloodstream.

If the patient has a severe stage of poisoning, an oxygen cushion can be used.

Gastric lavage is performed when fuel enters the gastrointestinal tract. To do this, use a large diameter probe and rinse until the wash water is absolutely clear. After that, a little warm vegetable oil or activated charcoal diluted in water is poured through the probe into the stomach.

Method of treatment for gasoline poisoning

If a person inhaled heavily with gasoline or fuel entered the stomach, then treatment must be organized in a hospital. The protocol looks like this:

The victim is provided with bed rest in a well-ventilated room.
Special therapy is practiced, which includes intravenous infusion of glucose and isotonic solution.
If there is damage to the liver or kidneys, prescribe complex drugs aimed at restoring these organs.

In addition, doctors prescribe diet food, which is based on foods enriched with B vitamins and ascorbic acid. Iron-containing preparations and calcium are prescribed separately.

If a person has been breathing gasoline for a short time and his state of health does not cause concern, then hospitalization is not required.

Poisoning by other products of the oil refining industry

Poisoning by various petroleum products is common, especially in children of all ages. Kerosene and diesel fuel are used in the national economy almost on a par with gasoline and have the same toxic effect on the human body.

Ingestion of distillates irritates the mucous membranes of the stomach and esophagus, and if vomiting occurs afterwards, the trachea may be damaged. These chemicals are rapidly absorbed from the digestive tract and the toxins reach the lungs, resulting in severe pneumonia and swelling. If the victim has a cough, this means that aspiration into the lungs has already occurred. First aid is the same as for gasoline poisoning.

It must be remembered that if the age of the victim is less than 3 years old or is an elderly person, then you should immediately consult a doctor!

Prevention of poisoning by petroleum distillation products

The prevention of all such intoxications is based primarily on strict observance of safety regulations.

The ventilation system should be well thought out both in industrial enterprises and at home.
All refined products that are used in everyday life should be kept out of the reach of children.
When working with oil products, individual protection is required - gas masks, goggles and gloves.
Employees who have constant contact with fuel must systematically undergo a medical examination with the delivery of all tests.
A person who inhaled gasoline is removed from hazardous production and transferred to easy working conditions.

When cases of poisoning by oil distillation products occur at enterprises, the medical service and safety instructors are notified.

Knowing that gasoline and other refined products can be poisonous, you should follow basic safety rules. Special attention paid to the education of adolescents, if there is even the slightest suspicion that they are engaged in substance abuse, you should consult a doctor.

Not a rare case today is gasoline poisoning. This problem is relevant among people directly related to this type of fuel.

For example, working at an oil refinery. Also, poisoning can affect the person who started repair work in the house with the use of gasoline, solvent.

In this case, it is important to be aware of the reasons why gasoline poisoning occurs, what to do , Once in this situation, how to provide first aid to the victim.

How gasoline affects our body?

This product is a fuel for cars, it has its purpose as a solvent for varnishes, greases, paints. At an average air temperature in the room, the substance can evaporate. Gasoline accumulates at the bottom, since the air has a lower density compared to the vapors of this product.

The toxicity of gasoline is determined by the amount of carbohydrates with a narcotic effect contained in it. Aromatic hydrocarbons are the most dangerous.

The combustible mixture often enters the body when inhaled through the mouth, getting into the respiratory tract. The negative impact of this substance can be obtained if it gets on the skin and mucous membranes as a solvent. Possibly food poisoning.

The danger to humans comes from leaded gasoline. This product and its vapors contain tetraethyl lead, which is a strong poison that negatively affects the nervous system.

leaded gasoline in residential buildings,
carry out transportation in the cabin of the car,
use as a paint thinner
refill lighters,
clean clothes,
other household purposes.

In case of poisoning, various degrees of severity occur in the acute and chronic form of development. It directly depends on the concentration of fuel and the time of its impact on the human body.

Symptoms of acute and chronic poisoning

With a short-term inhalation of a low concentration, gasoline vapor poisoning occurs, the symptoms of which appear in a mild and moderate stage of severity, similar to those of alcohol intoxication.

The person feels:

excitement at the mental level, being in a state of euphoria;
want to laugh for no reason;
weakness is felt in the body, the skin turns red;
dizzy, an uncertain step is noticeable when walking;
the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract are irritated;
it happens that a person is sick, vomiting opens;
rapid pulse and heartbeat.

Severe poisoning manifests itself:

lack of consciousness;
an increase in body temperature, above 39 degrees;
convulsions, tendon reflexes occur;
hallucinations appear.

At a high concentration of gasoline in working area poisoning occurs at lightning speed. It could be an accident, a fuel spill, cleaning big size tank to store gasoline. During poisoning, a person suddenly loses consciousness, his breathing suddenly stops.

The development of pneumonia occurs when this fuel enters the respiratory tract, trying to drain it from the tank or sucking it into the hose.

Symptoms:

pain in the side where the lung is affected;
blue skin color;
physical activity is accompanied by shortness of breath, a more severe case - at rest;
cough with sputum rusty color and blood;
the general condition of the body is disturbed;
body temperature increases.

If gasoline accidentally enters the stomach, a person can repeatedly vomit profusely, he is worried about loose stools, and there are complaints of pain in the abdomen. It happens that the liver is affected, it enlarges and hurts, the skin and mucous membranes become icteric, weakness is felt.

The chronic form of poisoning is expressed by symptoms, which appear, working for a long time with the constant influence of gasoline on the human body. Expressed:

disorders in the work of the nervous system (hysteria, neurasthenia);
constant fatigue, decreased performance, weakness;
drop in pressure;
sleep disturbance;
decreased ability to distinguish odors;
upset in the work of the stomach;
menstrual problems in women.

With prolonged contact of fuel with the skin, eczema develops.

Gasoline substance abuse is considered a dangerous phenomenon in children. To experience euphoria and hallucinations, teenagers inhale gasoline vapors. Substance abuse is expressed by rapid addiction, damage to the nervous system. If you do not stop in this entertainment, the disability of the child is inevitable.

The first signs of poisoning may appear after 2-4 hours or a few days.

Often, poisoning has a chronic form, the signs of which accumulate imperceptibly and slowly.

When the body is weakened due to any disease or mental trauma, when drinking alcohol, the reaction of the action of gasoline is enhanced.

A person quickly gets tired physically, there is lethargy, interest in the environment disappears, memory deterioration is observed.

With a prolonged violation of safety regulations, working with fuel, the signs of poisoning with gasoline vapors increase. The patient loses weight, suffers from headaches, appetite worsens, bad dream, saliva and sweat are intensely secreted, especially at night.

Fuel and its vapors are capable of be toxic to the kidneys developing kidney failure. Gasoline can also interfere with the reproduction of blood cells.

If these symptoms occur, you should immediately visit a medical facility.

If a person has been intoxicated with gasoline, first aid consists in carrying out such activities:

it is necessary to remove the victim from the room where there was intoxication,
provide fresh air to the patient;
give a large volume of warm tea to drink to quickly remove toxins;
the patient should be wrapped in a blanket, as the need for warmth is required;
drink activated charcoal.

An oxygen cushion is used in case of severe poisoning and weak breathing.

During the penetration of gasoline into the esophagus, you will need to do it. The procedure is carried out using a probe with a solution of soda until the water is clear. Further, a plant-based oil, a solution of activated carbon is poured through the probe.

With a mild degree of poisoning, the patient will not need specialized medical care. First aid for severe poisoning through the esophagus is carried out when ingested vaseline in oil, washing with a probe. Artificially induced vomiting in this situation is unacceptable, it can lead to a burn of the esophagus.

Treatment for poisoning

Treatment of a severe form of poisoning must be carried out in a medical facility. Required:

diet food enriched with vitamins, minerals;
bed rest;
detoxification course of therapy - a solution of glucose and isotonic solution is injected inside;
symptomatic course of therapy - if the kidneys, liver are affected (therapy will lead to working condition organs).

In case of mild poisoning, the patient receives a doctor's consultation. Hospitalization is not required.

Gasoline poisoning: prevention

The preventive set of measures consists in observing safety precautions:

provide good ventilation (ventilation) of enterprises, residential premises;
use personal protective equipment (gloves, gas mask);
undergo regular medical examinations for workers who have direct contact with gasoline;
temporarily withdraw from work that is harmful to health.

It must be taken into account that tetraethyl lead is able to settle on surrounding objects, this also applies to open areas of the body and clothing. It quickly decomposes from exposure to sunlight. Therefore, it is more often worth airing work clothes in the sun and washing them. You can not bring overalls into the living room, and after finishing the working day, wash yourself well.

Video: what happens if you drink gasoline and its symptoms

Gasoline poisoning happens quite often in modern people. At the same time, the risk of inhaling toxic fumes is present not only for a gas station employee, but also for a housewife who started repairs using any of the gasoline-containing solvents. Therefore, people should know more about gasoline poisoning in order to identify the problem in a timely manner and provide first aid to the victim.

The effect of gasoline and its fumes on humans

Gasoline has become widespread not only as a fuel for cars and various equipment. This substance is widely used as a solvent for varnishes, paints, fats and rubber.

Active evaporation of gasoline occurs at medium temperatures. Gasoline vapors have a higher density than air, which allows them to accumulate in the lower layers of indoor air.

Important! The degree of toxicity of gasoline is determined by the amount and type of hydrocarbons that have a narcotic effect. The most dangerous among them are aromatic hydrocarbons.

Given the volatility of the substance, gasoline poisoning most often occurs when it enters the body through the respiratory system. Another way of penetration into the body is through the mucous membranes and skin, since the substance is an active fat solvent. Also penetration into the food tract is not excluded.

Symptoms

If the inhalation of gasoline vapors did not last long, then mild to moderate poisoning may result. According to the symptoms, such poisoning with gasoline vapors resembles alcohol intoxication:

the victim has laughter for no apparent reason and unmotivated euphoria;
uncertainty of gait and dizziness of the head;
heartbeat faster than usual;
sometimes - bouts of nausea and even vomiting;
weakness of the body;
redness of the skin.

Now consider what happens if you sniff gasoline for a long time. Severe poisoning has the following symptoms:

the person is in an unconscious state;
the temperature rises to 40 degrees;
possible hallucinations;
in some cases, there are convulsions, both clonic and toxic against the background of increased tendon reflexes.

There is also a lightning-fast form of poisoning, which is observed at extremely high concentrations of this substance in the room. We are talking about accidents at work, in which there is a spill of gasoline, or the cleaning of tanks in which given liquid. The victim in similar situations there may be a sudden loss of consciousness and even respiratory arrest.

Now consider what happens if you drink gasoline. If this substance enters the stomach, it causes repeated vomiting in large quantities, as well as diarrhea. The victim develops severe pain in the abdomen, and liver damage, similar to non-infectious hepatitis, is also possible. At the same time, it increases in size, which is accompanied by painful sensations, yellowness of the skin against the background of general weakness.

In chronic forms of poisoning, the following symptoms are present:

Constant fatigue in the victim against the background low level performance and weakness.
There are signs of neurasthenia and hysteria.
In women, menstrual irregularities are possible.
Disorders of the digestive system are observed.
Sleep disturbances, a drop in blood pressure, and possibly a decrease in the ability to recognize odors.

Important! If gasoline gets on the skin with which it has been in contact for a long time, then the patient may experience inflammation and eczema.

What are the symptoms of gasoline pneumonia?

This phenomenon occurs when a person drank gasoline, but the substance penetrated into the lungs. Most often this happens when gasoline is drained, when it is sucked in through a hose. Very often, as a result of this procedure, you can accidentally swallow fuel. In this case, swallowed gasoline causes the following symptoms:

The skin takes on a bluish tint.
Explicit pain appears from the affected lung.
When coughing, rusty sputum is released, which indicates the presence of blood.
The victim's temperature rises and the general condition is disturbed.

Symptoms and consequences of gasoline substance abuse

A very common phenomenon observed in adolescent children is gasoline substance abuse. In most cases, we are talking about children from dysfunctional families. Inhalation of vapors of this substance in such cases is carried out to obtain euphoria. This often results in hallucinations.

The symptoms of substance abuse depend on how long and frequent the impact of gasoline vapors on the human body is. With prolonged inhalation of gasoline fumes, the following signs of poisoning are possible:

Loss of consciousness.
The appearance of clonic and toxic seizures.
Possible hemiparesis.

The consequences of gasoline substance abuse are disappointing:

Fast adaptability.
Irreversible damage to intellectual development, which is applied in the shortest possible time.
CNS damage.

Important! If this "entertainment" is not stopped in the initial stages, the child is threatened with lifelong disability.

First aid for gasoline poisoning

It should be remembered that mild poisoning can pass quite quickly, in just 2-3 days. Chronic cases require longer treatment.

The victim from contact with gasoline should be in without fail qualified treatment. But first, first aid is provided for gasoline poisoning. Consider what to do if a person drank gasoline:

First of all, it is necessary to take out or bring the victim to fresh air.
Then he is given a warm drink.
To remove intoxication, 20-30 activated charcoal tablets are used. You can also use vegetable or vaseline oil, in an amount of about 70 grams.
If the victim drank gasoline, then you should not induce vomiting on your own, since gasoline from the vomit can enter the lungs, which will cause toxic pneumonia. The stomach is washed out by means of a probe.
If the patient is vomiting, then he should be given about three glasses of a weak soda solution (about half a tablespoon of soda per glass of water).

If the patient's condition is severe, then qualified medical care is needed here, which involves the use of antidotes, and in some cases, resuscitation.

If chronic gasoline intoxication is present in workers of oil refineries, then they need to carry out general strengthening preventive treatment, visits to sanatoriums, baths, etc.

To prevent poisoning, work areas should be regularly ventilated. To avoid misuse, all containers with technical liquids Appropriate labels must be affixed.

Features of treatment for gasoline poisoning

If severe poisoning with gasoline through the mouth occurs, then treatment should be carried out in a hospital. It usually includes the following procedures:

Strict bed rest.
Carrying out symptomatic therapy. For example, in the case of kidney damage, actions should be aimed at restoring their function.
Detoxification therapy, involving the introduction of intravenous isotonic solution and glucose;
A diet that involves taking certain vitamins and minerals, as well as iron and calcium supplements.

Conclusion

Both an adult and a child can inhale toxic fumes. Gasoline poisoning can have extremely serious, even irreversible consequences. For this reason, it is necessary to provide the victim as soon as possible medical care and call an ambulance for further treatment. Otherwise, the consequences of poisoning can be disappointing.

Gasoline poisoning- This is a pathological process that is often found in everyday life. Most often, the victims are employees of gasoline filling stations or ordinary consumers. No less often there is poisoning in children when parents could not keep track of the child.

Most often, gasoline ends up inside children and gas station workers. Moreover, children absorb this product because of their interest, but the workers, through negligence, when they try to suck it out of the hose. Often, fuel enters the mouth of people who repair cars. Of course, this does not happen intentionally, but by negligence. Poisoning can occur if you confuse gasoline with juice.

People can take a sip of gasoline when attempting suicide with an unbalanced psyche. And although fuel for these purposes is not often used, health workers still diagnose poisoning with a similar substance in adolescents.

There is another category of people who can be exposed to toxic effects. These are the ones who drink gasoline for fun. This applies more to those who have an unbalanced psyche, since normal people will use fuel directly for its intended purpose. In no case should such experiments be carried out and always follow the safety rules when working with gasoline.

Symptoms of poisoning

The symptoms of gasoline poisoning will differ depending on how the gasoline entered the body:

Loss of consciousness. This symptom occurs when gasoline vapor poisoning occurs indoors. In addition to fainting, the victim is visited by symptoms such as convulsions or incomplete paralysis.
Pain in the abdomen, vomiting, nausea and the release of blood impurities. These symptoms occur when gasoline poisoning occurs through the mouth. As its toxic components are absorbed in the blood, yellowness of the skin, pain and enlargement of the liver occur, and urobilin is contained in the urine. All this leads to the development of toxic hapatopathy. In case of poisoning with gasoline vapors or swallowing it in a large dosage, death can occur.
Pain in the chest, bloody sputum, shortness of breath, fever, weakness, blue lips and mucous membranes. These signs of poisoning occur when liquid fuel is inhaled. Against the background of the present clinical picture, toxic pneumonia may form.
Weakness, trembling in the hands, pain in the head, irritability. All these symptoms indicate that the victim has chronic fuel vapor poisoning.

How gasoline enters the body

Gasoline is a toxic substance that negatively affects various organs and systems. If for a long time to come into contact with the skin with gasoline, a chemical burn will occur. In addition, fuel can penetrate the skin into the circulatory system. Inhalation of toxic substances causes blockage of the bronchial tract, respiratory failure.

The next route of penetration of gasoline into the body is oral. This occurs when gasoline is consumed internally. The substance causes burns of the mucous membrane of the digestive tract. This leads to the destruction of the epithelial tissue of the oral cavity, pharynx, stomach and esophagus. If timely assistance is not provided, then thermal injury will affect the mucous membrane of the esophagus.

What happens if you drink gasoline? Regardless of the route of its penetration, when it is in the body for a long time, benzene poisoning can be observed. This component is found in high concentration in gasoline. Such intoxication leads to the development of a toxic reaction, which is characterized by damage to the liver and nervous system.

You can learn more about gasoline poisoning from the following video:

First aid

What to do if you drank gasoline inside? The first step is to provide first aid to the victim. To do this, it is necessary to remove all toxins from the body as soon as possible. This should be done in the first minutes after intoxication in order to weaken the local effect of the poison.

If benzene poisoning occurred by accidental ingestion of this substance, then it is worth performing gastric lavage with a solution of baking soda (sodium bicarbonate). Such actions should be done until the smell of gasoline in the wash water disappears.

If done correctly, this will lead to the rapid elimination of the chemical from the body. In addition, a diluted concentration of fuel is not able to have a strong effect on the digestive tract.

After gastric lavage, be sure to give the patient 20 tablets and vaseline oil - 50 g. It should be understood that a positive effect from activated charcoal can only be obtained if it is consumed within the first hour after swallowing gasoline. Its effectiveness is quite high compared to other detoxification drugs. Even if you drink it in late dates, then it retains its properties.

The maximum effect can be observed when the number of tablets taken is 10 times the amount of the poisonous component. If it is impossible to determine the dosage of the toxin that has entered the body, then the dosage of activated charcoal is determined taking into account the weight of the patient. However, it can be slightly increased if it is known for sure that there is a significant overdose of gasoline.

If the patient is unconscious, it is necessary to ensure the unhindered exit of vomit. Lay it on one side so that the head is located below the torso. This will allow the vomit to pass freely from the stomach.

If the victim managed to pull out, then the loan stopped breathing, then it is worth performing artificial respiration and chest compressions. To do this, lay him on his back, put pressure on the center of the chest and perform three quick presses.

Then tilt the patient's head back and raise the chin, while the nose should be pinched, and air should be blown into the mouth. Take 3 such breaths and again perform a heart massage. Perform such actions until the ambulance arrives or until breathing is restored.

Treatment in a hospital

If, after washing the stomach, it was not possible to remove the signs of intoxication, and symptoms such as convulsions and fainting still occur, then he is immediately taken to the hospital.

When the doctor performs an examination of the victim, he is placed in the intensive care unit and resuscitation. Then doctors prescribe medication. To stop the syndrome of intoxication, the victim is injected with saline, glucose. In severe poisoning, a blood transfusion may be performed.

When treating gasoline poisoning, it is important that the patient stop smoking. Do not smoke for three days after the poisoning has occurred. And also make sure that the people who surround the patient do not smoke near him.

Infectious disease doctor, private clinic "Medcenterservice", Moscow. Senior editor of the Poisoning Stop website.