The Parents' Guide to Poisons in the Home

Sandy Campbell is a reference librarian in the Science and Technology Library at the University of Alberta.

This is a book that parents should read when they are calm. In a panic
situation, it may be difficult to find the required information quickly.
The poisons are listed in alphabetical order, but by broad group. So if
a child has swallowed a bottle of Robitussin, the parent would have to
know to look under “Cough and Cold Preparations” in the alphabetical
list. Perhaps many parents would be able to make that leap, but how many
would think to look under “Petroleum Products (Hydrocarbons)” for
turpentine?

There is an index that lists most of the poisons by trade names, but in
an emergency, using an index and finding the correct page may be a
difficult exercise. The index could also use some enhancements. For
example, “2–4-D” is listed only as “2,4, dichlorophenoxy acetic
acid” and is filed numerically before the letter “a,” instead of
under “t” for “two.” Most people will not know the full chemical
name and are not likely to remember alpha-numeric filing rules. There is
an entry in the index for “cocaine,” but none for “crack.”
Insecticides are listed under “chlorinated insecticides” and indexed
only to “petroleum products.”

Furthermore, because families in rural areas do not have fast access to
emergency services, they are more likely than those in urban areas to
need this kind of information. Yet many farm chemicals and pesticides
have been left out; for example, Raid, Rotenone, Round-up, and Cygon
have all been excluded.

Parents may want to have this volume on hand to check substances before
they introduce them into their homes or to find the telephone number for
the closest poison control centre. Libraries, however, may wish to
invest in a more comprehensive volume on hazardous and toxic substances.