Swallowing gasoline can result in serious bodily harm if it is not treated immediately. Gasoline is a highly toxic substance that includes harmful, hydrocarbon chemicals, including benzene, methane, toulene and xylene. These substances can cause a host of dangerous symptoms that require quick action for successful treatment.The symptoms of gasoline ingestion can include, but are not limited to
. airway, nervous and muscular reactions. Ingestion commonly results in the swelling of the throat and consequently, difficulty breathing. Vision loss, both temporary and permanent, is another common symptom. Expelling ingested gasoline can result in gastrointestinal discomfort, such as bloody stools, abdominal pain and uncontrollable vomiting. Nervous symptoms include dizziness, convulsions, sudden depression, headache, slurred speech and seizures. Without treatment of symptoms, extended exposure or swallowing large amounts of gasoline can easily result in death.Fortunately, gasoline ingestion is easily treated by physicians and poison control units. The first step to treating ingestion is to call a local poison control unit or contact emergency services through 911. Physicians do not recommend making the exposed person throw up. Instead, a person should immediately drink water or milk, unless they are unconscious, when the threat of choking can increase. Upon arriving at a hospital, patients that swallow gasoline are usually given a breathing aid, in the form of a breathing tube. In addition, they are hooked to an IV that pumps proper levels of fluids throughout the body. Physicians often 'wash' out the stomach with medical tubes and water, in an effort to expel gasoline from the digestive tract. Most patients who ingest gasoline recover quickly with little harm. The faster a person reaches the aid of medical experts, the better the chance of a quick recovery. Those that do not reach medical attention in a timely manner can suffer from permanent bodily damage, or even death.More reference links: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002806.htm http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/poison/gasoline/overview.html
