A 3 yrs old child is brought to the emergency room by his parents after they found him having a generalized seizure at home. The child's breath smells of garlic, and he has bloody diarrhea, vomiting, and muscle twitching. Which poison is it likely that this child has encountered?: (A) Thallium, (B) Lead, (C) Arsenic, (D) Carbon monoxide
Answer is C. Acute arsenic poisoning from ingestion results in increased permeability of small blood vessels and inflammation and necrosis of the intestinal mucosa; these changes manifest as hemorrhagic gastroenteritis, fluid loss, and hypotension. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, delirium, coma, and seizures. A garlicky odor may be detectable on the breath. Arsenic is found in herbal and homeopathic remedies, insecticides, rodenticides, and wood preservatives, and it has a variety of other industrial applications.