Ingestion of a conceivably poisonous agent, either as the result of the innocent behavior of a toddler or the action of a miserable adolescent, is a common problem seen in the emergency department. Presentation of poisoned patients to the emergency department insists prompt action to prevent poisoning by using Gastrointestinal (GI) decontamination or to treat poisoning with supportive care and, for a few poisons, antidotes. Gastrointestinal decontamination has been argumentative over the past decade, but a consensus is evolving, in large part.
