Fatal dose and fatal period of carbolic acid
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phenol poisoning emergency management poison control
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https://wwwn.cdc.gov/TSp/MMG/MMGDetails.aspx?mmgid=144&toxid…
Carbolic acid (phenol)
- Fatal dose: Approximately 10-15 g. Death has been reported after about 20 drops of pure phenol.
- Fatal period: Usually 3-4 hours. Reported range is from as early as 3 minutes to as late as 60 hours.
- Parikh's Textbook of Medical Jurisprudence, Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, p. 580
- P. C. Dikshit Textbook of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Carbolic Acid section
Actual toxicity is highly variable because phenol is rapidly absorbed through the gastrointestinal tract and even intact skin. Any suspected ingestion or significant skin contact is an emergency: do not induce vomiting; seek urgent emergency/poison-center advice. The CDC phenol guidance advises immediate decontamination and hospital assessment for ingestion or significant exposure.
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