Poisoning from Chlorinated Hydrocarbon Solvents

The chlorinated hydrocarbon solvents, such as trichloroethylene and methylene chloride, are among the most widely used industrial chemicals. Misuse of these solvents or accidental overexposure to them can result in significant injury. Nurses need to be familiar with some of the fundamentals of toxicology, if they are to give effective nursing care to persons suspected of having been overexp sed. The report of a case of solvent poisoning, recently in the Journal of the American Medical Association, illustrates the emergency nursing care.' An 18-year-old worker smelled a strong solvent odor while digging near the footings of an old production building of the Dow Chemical Company. Inhaling the vapor for a few minutes made him feel dizzy, weak, and nauseated. He retreated from the excavation, donfied a general-purpose chemical respirator, and then returned to the area. His dizzi