When it comes to pesticides, especially herbicides like paraquat and diquat, although they effectively control weeds in fields, they pose an extremely high risk of poisoning if ingested accidentally.
Recently, Mr. Zhang (alias) and his family of four from Dama Island, Yuhuan, Zhejiang, had a harrowing experience. They fell victim to poisoning after consuming a meal of lamb stew with spinach, which had just been sprayed with "diquat"...
Spinach can be poisonous? Mr. Zhang, aged 40 this year, has two sons aged 6 and 7. The incident occurred on a weekend when his wife bought lamb and harvested some spinach from their own vegetable garden to cook together.
During dinner, the family of four sat around the table, quickly devouring the fragrant lamb. Little did they know, shortly after finishing their meal, both Mr. Zhang and his wife began experiencing a burning sensation in their stomachs.
Meanwhile, the grandfather, who had been out, returned home just in time. Upon hearing that they had eaten spinach from the garden, he immediately felt alarmed: "Oh no! I just sprayed pesticides on that vegetable patch this morning!"
Upon hearing this, the couple panicked and rushed to the emergency department of the hospital with their two sons. Dr. Chen Miao, from the emergency department, upon inquiry, learned that the pesticide used by the elder was the herbicide "diquat". Without delay, the medical team performed gastric lavage, administered intravenous fluids, and promptly conducted blood tests for Mr. Zhang's family.
Fortunately, Mr. Zhang and his family underwent blood tests, which revealed no abnormalities. After emergency treatment and observation overnight in the observation room, they were discharged safely.
Induce vomiting immediately upon ingestion!
Dr. Huang Xitong, the director of the emergency department, explained that Paraquat is a non-selective, fast-acting herbicide, belonging to the same group of compounds as Glyphosate, with no specific antidote. It can be absorbed through the digestive tract, respiratory tract, eyes, or skin mucous membranes, rapidly distributing throughout the body upon entry, causing damage to various organ functions. Severe cases can result in death within hours or days.
The reason Mr. Zhang's family escaped unscathed was mainly due to their low intake and prompt medical attention after discovery, taking measures to block absorption immediately.
However, this real-life case serves as a stark warning to everyone! Common cases of pesticide poisoning seen in clinical practice include not only Paraquat but also insecticides and rodenticides.
Insecticides mainly include organophosphate insecticides such as Dichlorvos and Oxamyl. Mild poisoning may present symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, dizziness, headache, and pinpoint pupils. Moderate poisoning may manifest with increased secretions, muscle tremors, muscle paralysis, and weakness. Severe poisoning may lead to respiratory failure, cardiac failure, impaired consciousness, and even shock, posing a life-threatening risk.
Rodenticides like Strychnine can cause convulsions, dizziness, weakness, and other neurological symptoms after poisoning. Anticoagulant rodenticides like Bromadiolone and Brodifacoum mainly present bleeding symptoms such as nasal bleeding, gum bleeding, skin ecchymosis, and hematuria, usually appearing 3 to 5 days or even 7 days after poisoning.
In this regard, Director Huang Xitong reminds that if accidentally ingesting pesticides, induce vomiting immediately by using fingers or chopsticks to stimulate the root of the tongue and seek medical attention promptly. Additionally, it is recommended to set up signs in agricultural areas where pesticides are sprayed to warn and remind people to avoid accidental ingestion, thus preventing serious consequences.
Planning and Production
Source | People's Daily Science (id: peoplekpzg)
Editor | Yang Yaping
Proofreading | Xu Lai, Lin Lin
