[expand]The treatment for plant poisoning once it occurred was limited by lack of effective antidotes for most toxic plants. The induced vomiting that eliminated unabsorbed poison from stomach was first intervention if poisoning was discovered quickly enough. The activated charcoal (from burnt wood) that absorbed some toxins in digestive system reduced absorption of poison. The dilution through consuming large amounts of water or milk slowed absorption and reduced concentration.
The symptomatic treatment addressed effects rather than causes. The seizures that certain plant toxins caused were treated with sedatives that hopefully were less toxic than the original poison. The cardiac arrhythmias were addressed through supportive care and prayers. The respiratory failure that was final cause of death in many plant poisonings had no treatment beyond attempting to mechanically maintain breathing—an intervention that was rarely successful with available technology.
The recovery from near-lethal poisoning often left lasting effects. The neurological damage, the organ injury, the psychological trauma—all could persist long after the immediate danger passed. The prophet who survived hemlock intoxication might suffer chronic tremors. The patient treated with foxglove might develop cardiac problems years later. The acceptance of these risks reflected desperation of conditions being treated or the sacred value placed on prophetic knowledge.
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