2007-03-19 05:49:15 · 6 answers · asked by ruthdarwent 1 in Health ➔ Other - Health
An emetic is something designed to make you vomit. Hundreds of years ago this was thought to be therapeutic, like bleeding you with leeches. Until a few years ago they were recommended in some overdoses to get the patient to vomit the drugs they had taken. They are not used now because the risks of using this technique is felt to outweigh the benefit.
Still used dangerously by bulimics to produce vomiting. They risk what are caller Mallory-Weiss tears of their oesophagus.
2007-03-19 10:30:43 · answer #1 · answered by Dr Frank 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Emetic: Something that causes emesis, that makes you want to vomit. For example, ipecac is an emetic.
From the Greek emein (to vomit), from the Indo-European root wem- (to vomit), the source of the words such as wamble (to feel nauseated) and vomit.
2007-03-19 12:52:38 · answer #2 · answered by Lisa 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
An emetic is something that induces vomiting. It is rarely used nowadays - only in a few incidences of overdose if caught early enough.
More commonly it is used in very low dose in cough syrups to help to expectorate (cough up) cattarh or phlegm. e.g. ipecac
2007-03-19 18:16:16 · answer #3 · answered by mustlovedogs0 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
An emetic is something that causes nausea.
2007-03-19 12:57:27 · answer #4 · answered by m 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
an emetic is that which causes you to vomit, such as ipecac.
2007-03-19 12:52:32 · answer #5 · answered by essentiallysolo 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
anything that will make you vomit such as salt water or prescription drugs
2007-03-19 13:57:41 · answer #6 · answered by D D 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋