Poison

Any substance that can cause severe distress or death if ingested, breathed in, or absorbed through the skin. Many substances that normally cause no problems, including water and most vitamins, can be poisonous if taken in too large of a quantity. Poison treatment depends on the substance: if there are treatment instructions on the substance’s container and you are sure it contained no other item, follow those directions immediately. Always contact your nearest Poison Control Center if you are concerned about possible poison ingestion.

* * *

Any substance, either taken internally or applied externally, that is injurious to health or dangerous to life. [Fr., fr. L. potio, potion, draught]

- acrid p. a p. that causes a destructive local irritation as well as systemic effects.

- arrow p. 1. SYN: curare. 2. any natural toxin used for coating arrows, spears, and darts ( e.g., extracts containing aconitin, ouabain, cardiac glycosides, batrachotoxin, curare).

- fish p. 1. SYN: ichthyotoxicon. 2. SYN: fugu p..

- fugu p. (foo′goo) a p. in the roe and other parts of various species of Diodon, Triodon, and Tetradon, fishes of eastern Asiatic waters. SYN: fish p. (2). [Jap. fugu, a poisonous fish]

- respiratory p. SYN: respiratory inhibitor.

* * *

poi·son 'pȯiz-ən n

1) a substance that through its chemical action usu. kills, injures, or impairs an organism

2) a substance that inhibits the activity of another substance or the course of a reaction or process <a catalyst \poison>

poison vt, poi·soned; poi·son·ing 'pȯiz-niŋ, -ən-iŋ

1) to injure or kill with poison

2) to treat, taint, or impregnate with poison

poison adj

1) POISONOUS <a \poison plant>

2) impregnated with poison <a \poison arrow>

* * *

n.

any substance that irritates, damages, or impairs the activity of the body's tissues. In large enough doses almost any substance acts as a poison, but the term is usually reserved for substances, such as arsenic, cyanide, and strychnine, that are harmful in relatively small amounts.

* * *

poi·son (poiґzən) [L. potio draft] any substance that, when relatively small amounts are ingested, inhaled, or absorbed, or applied to, injected into, or developed within the body, has chemical action that causes damage to structure or disturbance of function, producing symptoms, illness, or death. See also toxin and venom. poisonous adj