← First Aid

Chapter 6

Heat, cold and poisoning

Heat, cold and poisons harm people every year, often at home or outdoors. Heat exhaustion can turn into heatstroke, an emergency; hypothermia and frostbite need slow, gentle warming. Swallowed poisons and carbon monoxide need help from professionals, fast. This chapter follows current NHS and British Red Cross advice on what to do first, and on the common mistakes, such as hot baths for hypothermia or making someone vomit, that can make things worse.

11 cards

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  1. Hot, confused, no longer sweating: likely…Heatstroke
  2. Body temperature that marks heatstroke40 °C or more
  3. Heat exhaustion: move them somewhere cool and…Give them water
  4. Body temperature below 35 °CHypothermia
  5. Never warm someone with hypothermia using…A hot bath
  6. Frozen skin and tissue, often fingers and toesFrostbite
  7. Swallowed poison: should you make them vomit?No
  8. Swallowed poison: what to take to the doctorThe container or label
  9. Odourless gas from faulty boilers that poisonsCarbon monoxide
  10. Very drunk and unconscious but breathing: put them in…The recovery position
  11. After a snake bite, keep the bitten limb…Still