First Aid for Poison is one of the most confusing areas of first aid treatment. There are too many different types of poison and they can attack the body in too many ways for it to be easy.

Poison from a First Aid point of view is any substance that is harmful to the body. Poison can be swallowed, it can get in your eyes, or it can attack the body by simply being absorbed into the body through the skin. The first principle of First Aid for Poison is to suspect poison whenever no other obvious culprit is immediately apparent for the patient's condition. This is done by looking around the immediate area of the patient for any indication of poison such as a container or bottle of pills. You can also be alert for smells or signs of a foreign substance in your initial evaluation of the patient

If you find no evidence of poison, you proceed with First Aid based on whatever symptoms that you observe and get help as quickly as possible. If you do find evidence, you can proceed with First Aid for Poison. The actions you take will depend on how the poison is attacking the body. If it has been swallowed and the patient is conscious and able to swallow, give about 2 ounces of water and call the poison center at once. Do not induce vomiting and do give Ipecac Syrup without being told to do so by the poison center or a physician.

It is hoped that the number to a poison center is available. It should be part of any First Aid kit. When you call the poison center, you should have the container in your hand to be able to quickly give whatever information is requested. Although Ipecac Syrup is another good item to have in your First Aid kit, it is necessary to wait until you have permission to use it. This is because some substances, such as acids, can do as much harm coming up as they did going down and must be neutralized in the stomach.

If the poison is in the eyes, it is necessary to flush the eyes with a large amount of water. It is best if the water is lukewarm, but if this is not possible, cold water will do. The eye should be flushed for at least ten minutes. Poison on the skin should also be flushed off with large amounts of water and the area should be washed with soap if this is possible.

Poison can also be inhaled. If this is the case, remove the patient to fresh air as quickly as possible. When this is not possible, at least ventilate the area as well as possible to avoid inhaling additional fumes. The general principles of First Aid for poison are to not panic and call the poison center as soon as possible. Always suspect poison and check for evidence of it. As always, call for help as soon as possible.