It wasn't that long ago that a California man in his mid-30s walked into a doctor's office with such astronomical levels of lead in his blood that he was barred from returning to work. Alarmed, health officials began looking into his workplace, the Alco Iron and Scrap Metal Co. in San Leandro, California. What they found at Alco was shocking: So much lead dust permeated the plant's atmosphere that...

• Lou Bergeron
  
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• March 11, 2013
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• • Kids' Ailments Occupational Health Poisons

Often called "the silent killer," carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless, tasteless gas that can be fatal when inhaled. Smoke from fires, backdrafts from blocked chimney flues, grills that use charcoal or chemical fuels, emissions from faulty gas heaters, and the exhaust of motor vehicles, boats, and appliances are all common sources of carbon monoxide. Accidental deaths from carbon monoxide te...

• Peter Jaret
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• March 11, 2013
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• • Emergencies / First Aid Poisons Safety &, Public Health: Misc.

If you have toddlers or small children, you may have already poison-proofed your house. If not, the sooner you get started, the better. Children between the ages of 1 and 6 years old are at the highest risk for poisoning because they are mobile, curious, and likely to put almost anything into their mouths. After the introduction of child-safety caps in the 1970s, the number of children's deaths by...

• Dana Sullivan
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• March 11, 2013
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• • Kids: Misc. Parenting Poisons Safety &, Public Health: Misc. Safety: Child

In 2001, a series of anthrax attacks through the mail on media and federal government offices killed five people and sickened 17. Government buildings in Washington D.C. were shut down; government agencies issued advisories on how to handle suspicious-looking packages; news and mailroom employees across the country began donning latex gloves to sort mail; Americans stockpiled antibiotics against ...

• Nina Silberstein
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• March 11, 2013
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• Full Page
• • Infections: Misc. Poisons

Emergency information If you believe someone has swallowed poison. . .

• Call 911, the National Poison Control Hotline at 1-800-222-1222, or your local poison control center.
• Have the container or substance on hand. Specific information helps the medical team choose the best treatment.

• Severe throat pain
• Burns or ...
  • Chris Woolston, M.S.
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  • March 11, 2013
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  • Full Page
  • • Emergencies / First Aid Poisons

1. Roughly what percentage of childhood poisonings are fatal? a. 50 percent b. 10 percent c. 1 percent d. Far less than 1 percent 2. Which of the following household items is the most harmful if swallowed? a. Liquid dish soap b. Liquid or powdered automatic dishwashing detergent c. Fluoride toothpaste d. Mouthwash 3. Which one of these medicines and supplements fatally poisons the most young c...

• Chris Woolston, M.S.
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• March 11, 2013
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• Full Page
• • Emergencies / First Aid Kids' Ailments Kids: Misc. Parenting Poisons Safety &, Public Health: Misc.

The houseplant in the living room, the medicines in the bathroom, the cleaners in the kitchen -- just about every room in the house can contain a poison. Do you know which common household items could endanger your child's life? Take this short multiple-choice quiz and see what you know about poison in the home. 1. How many cases of poisoning in children under 6 are reported to poison contro...

• Chris Woolston, M.S.
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• March 11, 2013
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• Full Page
• • Child Development Kids: Misc. Parenting Poisons