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The study of poisons and toxic substances has a long history dating back to ancient times, when humans recognized the dangers posed by various natural compounds. However, the formalization and development of toxicology as a distinct scientific discipline can be attributed to notable figures like Paracelsus (1493–1541) and Orfila (1757–1853).
"The dose makes the poison" (Latin: dosis sola facit venenum 'only the dose makes the poison') is an adage intended to indicate a basic principle of toxicology. It is credited to Paracelsus who expressed the classic toxicology maxim "All things are poison, and nothing is without poison; the dosage alone makes it so a thing is not a poison."
A toxicologist working in a lab (United States, 2008)Toxicology is a scientific discipline, overlapping with biology, chemistry, pharmacology, and medicine, that involves the study of the adverse effects of chemical substances on living organisms [1] and the practice of diagnosing and treating exposures to toxins and toxicants.
Paracelsus was born in Egg an der Sihl [], [18] a village close to the Etzel Pass in Einsiedeln, Schwyz.He was born in a house next to a bridge across the Sihl river.His father Wilhelm (d. 1534) was a chemist and physician, an illegitimate descendant of the Swabian noble Georg [] Bombast von Hohenheim (1453–1499), commander of the Order of Saint John in Rohrdorf.
Paracelsus (1493–1541), the father of toxicology, once wrote: "Everything is poison, there is poison in everything. Only the dose makes a thing not a poison" [2] (see median lethal dose). The term "poison" is also used in a figurative sense: "His brother's presence poisoned the atmosphere at the party". The law defines "poison" more strictly.
Title page of Benedictus Figulus's 1608 edition of Kleine Wund-Artzney, based on lecture notes by Basilius Amerbach the Elder (1488–1535) of lectures held by Paracelsus during his stay in Basel (1527). Paracelsianism (also Paracelsism; German: Paracelsismus) was an early modern medical movement based on the theories and therapies of Paracelsus.
Toxicology testing of sample. Body fluids such as blood, urine, and stomach contents (e.g., vomitus), [2] as well as commercial products like medicines and food samples, are analysed to detect the presence of poisons or drugs. [2] Both routine and medicolegal cases are handled; however, viscera samples from forensic cases are usually not accepted.
Health risks are usually established from toxicity studies in laboratory animals and epidemiological evidence in humans. Lead is a well studied chemical with a CDC action level of concern, currently at 10 μg/dL, or 100 parts per billion , in blood; however, neurobehavioral impairment has been noted below this level. [ 12 ]