Poisoning by Hawthorn: Symptoms, Causes, What to Do When Poisoning

Hawthorn poisoning in Irkutsk was a resonant event in 2016 - millions of people not only took note of the high risk of deaths when using alcohol-containing liquids, but also began to ask a lot of questions about the safety of such drugs in general.We will try to answer the most popular of them.

Contents: Why do people drink "Hawthorn"?Why are lotions and tinctures of "Hawthorn" produced?Causes of Poisoning by Hawthorn Poisoning by Hawthorn: Symptoms and First Aid

Why do people drink Hawthorn?

Here the answer is simple: the low cost of tinctures of "Hawthorn" and similar means attracts people who have problems with alcohol.Still, their price is 3-4 times cheaper than vodka, and the effect of intoxication is available.

The popularity of such infusions is incredible - according to the data of Rosalkogolregulirovaniye only this year 37 million liters of surrogate alcohol were seized, and during the same period an average of 200 million liters of alcohol-containing "Hawthorn" type was consumed.

Why are lotions and tinctures of "Hawthorn" produced?

Actually, hawthorn is considered a medicinal plant - this fact is recognized by official medicine, that is why in pharmacy chains tinctures made on the basis of this plant are realized.They can help people cope with problems in the work of the heart - for example, relieve tachycardia and arrhythmia.In addition, hawthorn is prescribed for the treatment of hypertension( increased blood pressure), gastritis( inflammation of the gastric mucosa), vasospasms, kidney pathologies - more information about the beneficial properties of hawthorn can be found in the article on our website.

Hawthorn lotions are also quite a useful product - they are used for baths, and also as a cleanser for the skin.Cosmetologists recommend this tool to use for the treatment of oily skin, with rashes and acne.

Note: does not say in any official medicine source that these funds from the "Hawthorn" series can be consumed uncontrolled as a drink.On the contrary, the use of both tinctures and lotions should be strictly dosage.

The causes of Hawthorn poisoning

According to Irkutsk residents, the Hawthorn lotion has long been used as an alcoholic drink by people who have alcohol dependence, and before such mass poisonings were not.But , according to the results of the examination, the tragedy that has happened is the result of the use of fake lotion, which in its composition contains methyl alcohol - poison, even in small quantities, capable of causing irreparable damage to the health of .In addition, in some samples, not only methyl alcohol was detected, but also antifreeze - such a killer "cocktail" does not leave a chance for survival.

Hawthorn poisoning: symptoms and first aid

Even if only 10 ml of methyl alcohol found in the Hawthorn lotion gets into the human body, there will be severe consequences:

• nausea and indomitable vomiting;
• intense headaches and dizziness;
• stomach cramps and abdominal cramps;
• vision impairment.

These symptoms of methyl alcohol poisoning do not appear immediately after the use of doubtful alcohol-containing products, but only after 12-18 hours.A person can make complaints about "fog" before his eyes, pain in the whole body, complete loss of vision.

Please note: methyl alcohol is not different in color, smell, or taste from ethyl, therefore it is impossible to prevent the use of this poison solely by "research" at home.

First aid for poisoning with methyl alcohol, which unscrupulous dealers replace ethyl in tinctures and lotions, is to purify the stomach( you need to induce vomiting) and call the ambulance team.

Read more about the symptoms of poisoning with alcohol substitutes and first aid for such poisoning in the article Poisoning with substitutes for alcohol .

Many doubt that the Hawthorn lotion will be dangerous even if used correctly, and completely in vain! If an unscrupulous manufacturer replaces ethyl alcohol with methyl alcohol( this is done to reduce the cost of production), then even with the addition of lotion to the bath, the poisoning is guaranteed. After all, alcohol is a substance that evaporates rapidly and together with hot water vapor toxic methanol vapor enters the air - they enter the respiratory tract and lead to severe intoxication.

The conclusion can be made only one - you need to use only certified alcohol, the production and sale of which is carried out in strict accordance with the current legislation.

Tsygankova Yana Aleksandrovna, medical reviewer, therapeutist of the highest qualification category