Mineral spirits poisoning

• Poisonous Ingredient

  The poisonous ingredients in mineral spirits are hydrocarbons, which are substances that contain only hydrogen and carbon. Examples are benzene and methane.

• Where Found
  • Mineral spirits (Stoddard solvent)
  • Some paints
  • Some floor and furniture waxes and polishes
  • Some dry cleaning fluids
  • White spirits

  Note: This list may not be all-inclusive.
• Symptoms
  • Airways and lungs
    • Breathing difficulty (from inhalation)
    • Throat swelling (may also cause breathing difficulty)
  • Eyes, ears, nose, and throat
    • Severe pain in the throat
    • Severe pain or burning in the nose, eyes, ears, lips, or tongue
    • Vision loss
  • Gastrointestinal
    • Abdominal pain -- severe
    • Blood stools
    • Burns of the esophagus (food pipe)
    • Vomiting, possibly bloody
  • Heart and blood
    • Collapse
    • Low blood pressure -- develops rapidly
    • Rapid heartbeat
  • Nervous system
    • Burning sensations
    • Convulsions
    • Dizziness
    • Loss of alertness
    • Memory problems
    • Nervousness
    • Numbness in arms and legs
  • Skin
    • Burns
    • Irritation
    • Necrosis (holes) in the skin or underlying tissues
• Home Treatment

  Seek immediate medical help. Do NOT make a person throw up unless told to do so by poison control or a health care professional.

  If the chemical is on the skin or in the eyes, flush with lots of water for at least 15 minutes.

  If the chemical was swallowed, immediately give the person water or milk, unless instructed otherwise by a health care provider. Do NOT give water or milk if the patient is having symptoms (such as vomiting, convulsions, or a decreased level of alertness) that make it hard to swallow.

  If the person breathed in the poison, immediately move him or her to fresh air.

• Before Calling Emergency

  Determine the following information:

  • The patient's age, weight, and condition
  • The name of the product (ingredients and strengths, if known)
  • The time it was swallowed
  • The amount swallowed
• Poison Control, or a local emergency number

  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.

  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

• What to expect at the emergency room

  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. The patient may receive:

  • Breathing tube
  • Bronchoscopy -- camera down the throat to see burns in the airways and lungs
  • Endoscopy -- camera down the throat to see burns in the esophagus and the stomach
  • Fluids through a vein (IV)
  • Oxygen
  • Surgical removal of burned skin (skin debridement)
  • Washing of the skin (irrigation) -- perhaps every few hours for several days
• Expectations (prognosis)

  How well a patient does depends on the amount of poison swallowed and how quickly treatment was received. The faster a patient gets medical help, the better the chance for recovery.

  Swallowing such poisons can have severe effects on many parts of the body. The ultimate outcome depends on the extent of this damage. Damage can continue to occur for several weeks after the poison was swallowed. Death may occur as long as a month after the poison was swallowed.

• References

  Mirkin DB. Benzene and related aromatic hydrocarbons. In: Shannon MW, Borron SW, Burns MJ, eds. Haddad and Winchester's Clinical Management of Poisoning and Drug Overdose. 4th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2007:chap 94.

Review Date: 2/1/2010

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.