[Poisoning by spirits of turpentine or turpentine oil. Review of its treatment apropos of a personal case]

Abstract

Authors deduce from their experience during 1979 that intoxication by spirit oil of turpentine is an accident with few repercussions in infancy, because the quantity ingested does not reach toxic levels, except for children over seven who try to commit suicide. Gastric lavage must not be practiced because removing turpentine can provoke its' aspiration with a consequent pulmonary disease in the majority of occasions. Only when ingestion is more than 1 ml./Kg., or symptoms suggest important disease, can gastric lavage, be done because secondary complications can aggravate the disease. Antibiotics are used if there is an obvious infection, remembering that turpentine intoxication itself can provoke fever. In their experience, corticoids don't modify the evolution.