Citation

Guitart R, Giménez N. Med. Clin. 2012; 138(3): 127-132.

Vernacular Title

inverted question markQue es un <<toxico>>? Una propuesta de definicion.

Affiliation

Laboratorio de Toxicología, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, España.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2012, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.medcli.2011.02.002

PMID

21453940

Abstract

We discuss different interpretations of the term poison as well as the need of bringing up to date the changes in this matter according to the science progress. A clear and exact definition is proposed after analysing the factors that affect the relativity of the concept and its boundaries. The proposal for a definition is presented taking into account the most broadly extended concepts concerning its significance. That is to say: "a poison is, for human beings and their non-pathogenic and non-harmful biological environment, an electromagnetic or corpuscular radiation, or a non-infectious chemical agent, structured no larger in size than a small particle or fibre that, after being generated internally or after contact, penetration and/or absorption by a live organism, in sufficiently high dose, can produce or produces a direct or indirect adverse effect unrelated to its temperature or measurable electrical potential difference". The scientific knowledge needs accurate definitions to avoid ambiguities.

Language: es