Toxicology: hypochlorite ingestion: practice question

A Forensic Medicine question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

Try it

Forensic Medicine · Toxicology: hypochlorite ingestion

Sample item

A toddler drinks a small amount of household bleach and has only mild oral irritation and vomiting. What is the appropriate management?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

A. Rinse the mouth, give water or milk, and observe

Household bleach, a dilute sodium hypochlorite solution, is only mildly irritant, and dilution with water or milk and observation is enough. Vomiting, lavage and neutralisation are avoided because they cause more injury.

Option by option

  • A. Rinse the mouth, give water or milk, and observe (correct)

    Correct. Dilution and observation suffice for dilute household bleach.

  • B. Induce vomiting with ipecac

    Inducing emesis re-exposes the oesophagus and risks aspiration.

  • C. Perform immediate gastric lavage

    Lavage is contraindicated in corrosive ingestion.

  • D. Administer a weak acid to neutralise it

    Neutralisation produces heat and further injury.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

More Forensic Medicine questions

Questions about this Forensic Medicine question

What is the answer to this Forensic Medicine question?

The best answer is A, Rinse the mouth, give water or milk, and observe. Household bleach, a dilute sodium hypochlorite solution, is only mildly irritant, and dilution with water or milk and observation is enough.

Why is "Induce vomiting with ipecac" not the answer?

Inducing emesis re-exposes the oesophagus and risks aspiration.

Why is "Perform immediate gastric lavage" not the answer?

Lavage is contraindicated in corrosive ingestion.

Why is "Administer a weak acid to neutralise it" not the answer?

Neutralisation produces heat and further injury.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Toxicology: hypochlorite ingestion in Forensic Medicine. Vomiting, lavage and neutralisation are avoided because they cause more injury.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Toxicology: hypochlorite ingestion?

Learn postmortem changes with their timelines, and toxicology as poison, sign, test and antidote. Then use the flashcards and the other Forensic Medicine questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.