Naphthalene poisoning

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Moth balls; Moth flakes; Camphor tar

Determine the following information:

• Patient's age, weight, and condition
• Name of the product (ingredients and strengths, if known)
• Time it was swallowed
• Amount swallowed

If you suspect possible poisoning, seek emergency medical care immediately. Call your local emergency number (such as 911).

The National Poison Control Center (1-800-222-1222) can be called from anywhere in the United States. This national hotline number will let you talk to experts in poisoning. They will give you further instructions.

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This is a free and confidential service. All local poison control centers in the United States use this national number. You should call if you have any questions about poisoning or poison prevention. It does NOT need to be an emergency. You can call for any reason, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Take the container with you to the hospital, if possible.

See: Poison control center - emergency number

The health care provider will measure and monitor the patient's vital signs, including temperature, pulse, breathing rate, and blood pressure. Symptoms will be treated as appropriate.

Blood and urine tests will be done.

Persons who have recently eaten many mothballs will be forced to vomit.

Other treatments may include:

• Activated charcoal
• Blood transfusion (rarely)
• Fluids through a vein (by I.V.)
• A medicine called methylene blue if methemoglobinemia is present

It can take several weeks or longer to recover from some of the poisonous effects.

If the patient has convulsions and coma, the outlook is not good.

Review Date: 07/15/2009
Reviewed By: Jacob L. Heller, MD, MHA, Emergency Medicine, Virginia Mason Medical Center, Seattle, Washington. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org).