Meta menu:

From here, you can access the Emergencies page, Contact Us page, Accessibility Settings, Language Selection, and Search page.

Open Menu

What to do in an emergency?

You are here:

Procedure for possible poisoning

1. Keep calm !

2. Provide a glass of still water, tea or juice to drink.

DO NOT induce vomiting! DO NOT provide salt water! DO NOT provide milk!

3. Call the Charité Poison Control Center or your regional poison control center.

+49 30 19240

What does the poison control center need to know?

  • What was ingested? E.g. drug, plant, cleaning agent (name, manufacturer, identification number, warning sign?)
  • How old is the affected person?
  • Why was the substance ingested?
  • How much was ingested? E.g. estimate: How big is the pack and how much is missing?
  • How was it ingested? E.g. swallowed, skin contact, inhaled
  • When did it happen?
  • How is the affected person now? E.g. tiredness, vomiting, agitation, pain etc.
  • What has already been done? E.g. poison removal, rinsing, drinking
  • Who is calling? Name, role, phone number

Please follow the recommendations of your poison control center!

In most cases, they can give the all-clear and the person concerned may stay home after taking simple measures.

If a visit to a doctor is necessary, take the patient to the nearest doctor’s office, emergency room or clinic or notify general emergency services (112).  

Please be sure to bring or provide packaging, containers and/or the suspect substance!