Toxic Remedies and Poison: a brief history of poison remedies
Some historical methods were surprisingly effective, but others involving amulets and wild goats were ultimately useless
Poisoning is a horrific thing to happen to anyone. The more I learn about the effects of poisons, the more appalled I am that anyone would intentionally inflict this on another living thing. It makes the, often desperate, attempts to help victims of poisoning all the more understandable. How could you not want to relieve someone of the agony and distress that very often accompanies overdoses of toxic substances?
Watching historical detective dramas on TV or reading an Agatha Christie story, you might think standard procedure in the case of poisoning is administering brandy. The medicinal properties of brandy would appear to be near-miraculous, given how often it is given to anyone in physical or emotional distress. However, brandy will be of little help to anyone in poisoning situations but at least it is more rational than some of the alternatives that have been tried in the past.
In the past, when the cause of poisoning was poorly understood, all kinds of crazy remedies were tried, often in vain, to save those who were suffering. ‘Unicorn’s horn’, amulets and bezoar stone were once all highly recommended for those who felt their life might be under threat from a poisoner. The word bezoar comes from the Persian word pād zahr, which means antidote, but they are in fact indigestible lumps or solid masses extracted from the gastrointestinal tract of animals, usually wild goats. These bezoar stones would be hung on chains around the neck so they could be easily dunked into suspect drinks to nullify the poison. You might not be surprised to learn that bezoar are about as effective as amulets in the treatment of poisoning, ie useless.
Another treatment was to be given a drink from a poison cup or chalice. Some cups were said to able to detect if poison was present but others could be used in treatment in suspected poisonings. The cups, often highly ornamental in design, were sometimes made from antimony metal. Adding slightly acidic drinks to the cup would have dissolved a tiny amount of the antimony, a powerful emetic, and the vomiting it induced would remove the toxin from the stomach. However, antimony is highly toxic in its own right (approximately one gram absorbed into the body will kill) and there are now safer alternatives for inducing vomiting.
What is surprising is how practical and effective some of the historical remedies were for treating poisoning. Some people advocated eating clay when poisoning was suspected. This could potentially have trapped the toxic compound within the layers of the clay material. The idea of trapping a poison is behind the modern use of activated charcoal. When the charcoal is swallowed the minuscule pores within its structure can trap some toxins before they are absorbed into the body. But charcoal treatment is only effective relatively soon after the poison has been ingested.
An individual might not immediately notice that they have swallowed something toxic and there are other routes that poisons can take to get into the body – skin absorption or inhalation for example. So, specific treatments are required to counteract the effects of a toxin within the body. A large repertoire of drugs has been developed over the years with the specific aim of removing a poison or nullifying its effects on the body. But sometimes I wonder just how someone worked out that a particular compound is an effective antidote. Take the example of Prussian Blue, an artist’s pigment also used in photography, and an effective antidote for thallium poisoning. I don’t know how anyone figured this out but I bet it’s a great story.
Even more surprising to some is that one poison can often be effectively treated with another poison. The effects of many toxic substances within the body are well understood and can therefore be treated successfully with specific antidotes even when those antidotes are often considered poisons in their own right. For example, strychnine is highly toxic but its symptoms can be counteracted with curare, also highly toxic, because both compounds interact with the same receptors in nerves but have opposite effects. Atropine (or belladonna) poisoning can be treated with physostigmine; and physostigmine poisoning can be treated with atropine.
Today, advances in medical care mean that poison victims are much more likely to survive. If a direct antidote is not available, symptoms can be treated and suffering alleviated far more effectively than in the past. Legal restrictions on the sale of the most toxic substances also mean that many poisons are very difficult to obtain, but there are still accidents and mistakes. Too much of anything can be dangerous.
If you think someone has been poisoned do not head out to look for wild goats or unicorns. Don’t search the drinks cabinet for brandy. Call the emergency services. Find out what they have taken, how much and when – you could keep hold of anything the victim may have eaten or drunk, even retain vomit, in case it needs to be analysed to identify the poison. Note symptoms such as sweating, vomiting or difficulty breathing - anything that might give a clue as to the compound involved and therefore the most suitable treatment.
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