dangers of aspiration
Last reviewed 01/2018
In experiments, volatile hydrocarbons are at least 140 times as toxic in the lungs as in the stomach. 2.5ml in the lung could kill a child, compared with 350ml in the stomach.
It is therefore very dangerous to induce vomiting except in the very exceptional circumstances where the risk of not doing so is even greater, as in paraquat poisoning.
DO NOT INDUCE VOMITING (EXCEPT IN PARAQUAT POISONING)