write short notes on:

a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)
g)

physical properties of carbolic acid

ML importance of phenol
T/T of phenol poisoning
S/S of phenol poisoning
PM appearances of phenol poisoning
Why is there no use of emetic or rarely N/V in phenol poisoning ?
why is there hhg nephritis in phenol poisoning ?
Answers
a) physical properties of carbolic acid are:
-characteristic phenolic or carbolic or hospital odour
-short, prismatic, needle-like crystals
-turns pink & liquefy on exposure to air
-burning sweetish taste
-commercial acid: dark brown colour, used as antiseptic & disinfectant
-derivatives: Lysol, dettol, cresol, creosote (coal tar), resorcinol, menthol,
thymol, tannic acid
b) ML importance of phenol:
-mostly suicidal
-accidental: at homes (children drink dettol)
-rarely homicidal because of its taste & odour
-poisoning by penol is called carbolism
-chronic poisoning (phenol marasmus) & oochronosis
-poisoning because of its irrational medical use
c) T/T of phenol poisoning/carbolism are:
-skin contact: remove clothings, wash with soap & water for 15 mins,
apply olive oil to prevent absorption
-oral: gastric lavage with activated charcoal, olive oil, MgSO4; keep 30 mg
MgSO4 or medicinal liquid paraffin in stomach after lavage; saline
containing 7g of NaHCO3 to neutralize carbolic acid & induce dieresis;
symptomatic; demulcent (egg white)
d) S/S of phenol poisoning are:
Skin
Corrosion

GIT
Burning pain

White opaque
eschar

Anaesthesia

Necrosis

Difficult speech
& deglutition

RT
Labored
breathing
Cyanosis;
carbolic
breath;
aspiration
pneumonia
Resp failure

CNS
Depress resp
centre
Convulsions;
headache,
giddiness

Stupor

Others
Carboluria
Liver damaged

gangrene

White & hard

mucosa; N/V
rarely

Edema

coma

e) PM appearances of phenol poisoning are:

- External: corrosion grayish or brownish in tracks; phenolic ododur
- Internal: stomach: lethery, hardened, leather bottle appearance;
kidney: hemorrhagic nephritis; laryngeal & pulmonary edema
f) there is no use of emetic i.e an emetic fails or rarely N/V in phenol
poisoning due to anaesthetic effect of phenol
g) becoz it causes extensive capillary damage (& clotting in superficial
vessels)