mechanism or action of chloroform in the body
2007-02-08 03:30:40 · 4 answers · asked by anan t 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Medicine
Chloroform is toxic and is known to cause fatal cardiac arrhythmia, AKA "sudden sniffer's death". It depresses the central nervous system (CNS).
They had to be very careful when using it as an anesthetic (in the late 19th and early 20th centuries).
2007-02-08 04:03:38 · answer #1 · answered by Celt 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
As part of my work, I have inhaled probably more chloroform than most people. AND NOW I AM DEAD AND WILL EAT YOUR BRAAAAAAINS.
Heh, just teasing. Chloroform toxicity, like anything, depends on the dose. If you're chronically exposed to it (meaning you don't get enough all at once to kill you dead, but you get a little bit of it in you every day) your liver and kidneys can metabolize it to phosgene, which was used as a chemical weapon back in the day. Or it can give you cancer. For quicker chloroform deaths, they can be attributed to an allergic reaction (a lot of people are allergic to chloroform) or chloroform's ability to depress the central nervous system.
2007-02-08 11:55:34 · answer #2 · answered by MissA 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
The individual does not "die immediately." Chloroform was used in medicine as an anesthetic for many years before it was found that it could be toxic and better ones were developed.
2007-02-08 11:36:56 · answer #3 · answered by steve_geo1 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Chloroform? more like bore-oform!!!
2007-02-08 11:38:29 · answer #4 · answered by dennisjohns23 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋