BACK TOTOP Browse A-ZSearchBrowse A-ZABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0-9 E-mail FormEmail ResultsName:Email address:Recipients Name:Recipients address:Message: Print-FriendlyBookmarksbookmarks-menuRubber cement poisoningRubber cement is a common household glue. It is often used for arts and crafts projects. Breathing in large amounts of rubber cement fumes or swallowing any amount can be extremely dangerous, especially for a small child.This article is for information only. DO NOT use it to treat or manage an actual poison exposure. If you or someone you are with has an exposure, call your local emergency number (such as 911), or your local poison control center can be reached directly by calling the national toll-free Poison Help hotline (1-800-222-1222) from anywhere in the United States. Poisonous Ingredient The harmful substances in rubber cement are:Acetone AcetoneAcetone is a chemical used in many household products. This article discusses poisoning from swallowing acetone-based products. Poisoning may also ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Heptane Isopropyl alcohol Paradichlorobenzene ParadichlorobenzeneParadichlorobenzene is a white, solid chemical with a very strong odor. Poisoning can occur if you swallow this chemical. This article is for inform...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Trichloroethane Where Found Various brands of rubber cement contain these substances. Symptoms Most symptoms occur in people who repeatedly sniff rubber cement to get high. The symptoms below can occur in different parts of the body.AIRWAYS AND LUNGSBreathing difficulty (from inhalation) Throat swelling (which may also cause breathing difficulty)EYES, EARS, NOSE, AND THROATBurning in the nose, lips, throat, or eyes Vision lossHEART AND BLOODChange in the acid balance of the blood, which can lead to organ damage Collapse Low blood pressure (shock)Low blood pressureLow blood pressure occurs when blood pressure is much lower than normal. This means the heart, brain, and other parts of the body may not get enough...Read Article Now Book Mark Article STOMACH AND INTESTINESAbdominal pain Nausea and vomitingNausea and vomitingNausea is feeling an urge to vomit. It is often called "being sick to your stomach. "Vomiting or throwing-up forces the contents of the stomach up t...Read Article Now Book Mark Article NERVOUS SYSTEMConvulsions (seizures) ConvulsionsA seizure is the physical changes in behavior that occurs during an episode of specific types of abnormal electrical activity in the brain. The term ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Dizziness Headache HeadacheA headache is pain or discomfort in the head, scalp, or neck. Serious causes of headaches are rare. Most people with headaches can feel much better...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Muscle spasms Muscle spasmsA charley horse is the common name for a muscle spasm or cramp. Muscle spasms can occur in any muscle in the body, but often happen in the leg. Whe...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Nerve problems Unconsciousness (lack of responsiveness) Unsteady walkSKINIrritation Home Care Do not make a person throw up unless told to do so by poison control or a health care provider. Seek medical help right away.If the chemical is on the skin or in the eyes, flush with lots of water for at least 15 minutes.If the person swallowed rubber cement, give them water or milk right away if poison control or a provider tells you to do so. Do not give anything to drink if the person has symptoms that make it hard to swallow. These include vomiting, convulsions, or a decreased level of alertness.If the person breathed in the rubber cement, move them to fresh air right away. Before Calling Emergency Have this information ready:Person's age, weight, and condition Name of the product Time it was swallowed Amount swallowed Poison Control Your local poison control center can be reached directly by calling the national toll-free Poison Help hotline (1-800-222-1222) from anywhere in the United States. This national hotline will let you talk to experts in poisoning. They will give you further instructions.Poison control centerFor a POISON EMERGENCY call:1-800-222-1222ANYWHERE IN THE UNITED STATESThis national hotline number will let you talk to experts in poisoning. This ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article This is a free and confidential service. All local poison control centers in the United States use this national number. You should call if you have any questions about poisoning or poison prevention. It does NOT need to be an emergency. You can call for any reason, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. What to Expect at the Emergency Room Take the container with you to the hospital, if possible.The provider will measure and monitor the person's vital signs, including temperature, pulse, breathing rate, and blood pressure.Vital signsVital signs reflect essential body functions, including your heartbeat, breathing rate, temperature, and blood pressure. Your health care provider m...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Tests that may be done include:Blood and urine tests Bronchoscopy -- camera down the throat to look for burns in the airways and lungs BronchoscopyBronchoscopy is a test to view the airways and diagnose lung disease. It may also be used during the treatment of some lung conditions.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Chest x-ray Chest x-rayA chest x-ray is an x-ray of the chest, lungs, heart, large arteries, ribs, and diaphragm.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Electrocardiogram (ECG)ElectrocardiogramAn electrocardiogram (ECG) is a test that records the electrical activity of the heart.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Treatment may include:Fluids through a vein (IV) Washing of the skin (irrigation), perhaps every few hours for several days Tube through the mouth into the stomach to wash out the stomach (gastric lavage) Gastric lavageGastric suction is a procedure to empty the contents of your stomach.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Breathing support, including tube through the mouth into the lungs, and breathing machine (ventilator)Breathing machineA ventilator is a machine that breathes for you or helps you breathe. It is also called a breathing machine or respirator. The ventilator: Is attac...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Outlook (Prognosis) How well a person does depends on the amount of poison swallowed and how quickly treatment is received. The faster a person gets medical help, the better the chance for recovery.Swallowing or putting small amounts of rubber cement in your mouth is often harmless. However, eating large amounts on purpose can cause damage to your brain, liver, and kidneys. Severe damage to your brain, lungs, and kidneys can occur over time from repeatedly sniffing rubber cement.Open ReferencesReferencesAronson JK. Organic solvents. In: Aronson JK, ed. Meyler's Side Effects of Drugs. 16th ed. Waltham, MA: Elsevier; 2016:385-389.Wang GS, Buchanan JA. Hydrocarbons. In: Walls RM, ed. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 147.AllVideoImagesTogRelated Information Review Date: 11/2/2023 Reviewed By: Jesse Borke, MD, CPE, FAAEM, FACEP, Attending Physician at Kaiser Permanente, Orange County, CA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team. The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. No warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, is made as to the accuracy, reliability, timeliness, or correctness of any translations made by a third-party service of the information provided herein into any other language. © 1997- A.D.A.M., a business unit of Ebix, Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited. © 1997- All rights reserved. A.D.A.M. content is best viewed in IE9 or above, Firefox and Google Chrome browser.Content is best viewed in IE9 or above, Firefox and Google Chrome browser.
Rubber cement poisoningRubber cement is a common household glue. It is often used for arts and crafts projects. Breathing in large amounts of rubber cement fumes or swallowing any amount can be extremely dangerous, especially for a small child.This article is for information only. DO NOT use it to treat or manage an actual poison exposure. If you or someone you are with has an exposure, call your local emergency number (such as 911), or your local poison control center can be reached directly by calling the national toll-free Poison Help hotline (1-800-222-1222) from anywhere in the United States. Poisonous Ingredient The harmful substances in rubber cement are:Acetone AcetoneAcetone is a chemical used in many household products. This article discusses poisoning from swallowing acetone-based products. Poisoning may also ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Heptane Isopropyl alcohol Paradichlorobenzene ParadichlorobenzeneParadichlorobenzene is a white, solid chemical with a very strong odor. Poisoning can occur if you swallow this chemical. This article is for inform...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Trichloroethane Where Found Various brands of rubber cement contain these substances. Symptoms Most symptoms occur in people who repeatedly sniff rubber cement to get high. The symptoms below can occur in different parts of the body.AIRWAYS AND LUNGSBreathing difficulty (from inhalation) Throat swelling (which may also cause breathing difficulty)EYES, EARS, NOSE, AND THROATBurning in the nose, lips, throat, or eyes Vision lossHEART AND BLOODChange in the acid balance of the blood, which can lead to organ damage Collapse Low blood pressure (shock)Low blood pressureLow blood pressure occurs when blood pressure is much lower than normal. This means the heart, brain, and other parts of the body may not get enough...Read Article Now Book Mark Article STOMACH AND INTESTINESAbdominal pain Nausea and vomitingNausea and vomitingNausea is feeling an urge to vomit. It is often called "being sick to your stomach. "Vomiting or throwing-up forces the contents of the stomach up t...Read Article Now Book Mark Article NERVOUS SYSTEMConvulsions (seizures) ConvulsionsA seizure is the physical changes in behavior that occurs during an episode of specific types of abnormal electrical activity in the brain. The term ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Dizziness Headache HeadacheA headache is pain or discomfort in the head, scalp, or neck. Serious causes of headaches are rare. Most people with headaches can feel much better...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Muscle spasms Muscle spasmsA charley horse is the common name for a muscle spasm or cramp. Muscle spasms can occur in any muscle in the body, but often happen in the leg. Whe...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Nerve problems Unconsciousness (lack of responsiveness) Unsteady walkSKINIrritation Home Care Do not make a person throw up unless told to do so by poison control or a health care provider. Seek medical help right away.If the chemical is on the skin or in the eyes, flush with lots of water for at least 15 minutes.If the person swallowed rubber cement, give them water or milk right away if poison control or a provider tells you to do so. Do not give anything to drink if the person has symptoms that make it hard to swallow. These include vomiting, convulsions, or a decreased level of alertness.If the person breathed in the rubber cement, move them to fresh air right away. Before Calling Emergency Have this information ready:Person's age, weight, and condition Name of the product Time it was swallowed Amount swallowed Poison Control Your local poison control center can be reached directly by calling the national toll-free Poison Help hotline (1-800-222-1222) from anywhere in the United States. This national hotline will let you talk to experts in poisoning. They will give you further instructions.Poison control centerFor a POISON EMERGENCY call:1-800-222-1222ANYWHERE IN THE UNITED STATESThis national hotline number will let you talk to experts in poisoning. This ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article This is a free and confidential service. All local poison control centers in the United States use this national number. You should call if you have any questions about poisoning or poison prevention. It does NOT need to be an emergency. You can call for any reason, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. What to Expect at the Emergency Room Take the container with you to the hospital, if possible.The provider will measure and monitor the person's vital signs, including temperature, pulse, breathing rate, and blood pressure.Vital signsVital signs reflect essential body functions, including your heartbeat, breathing rate, temperature, and blood pressure. Your health care provider m...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Tests that may be done include:Blood and urine tests Bronchoscopy -- camera down the throat to look for burns in the airways and lungs BronchoscopyBronchoscopy is a test to view the airways and diagnose lung disease. It may also be used during the treatment of some lung conditions.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Chest x-ray Chest x-rayA chest x-ray is an x-ray of the chest, lungs, heart, large arteries, ribs, and diaphragm.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Electrocardiogram (ECG)ElectrocardiogramAn electrocardiogram (ECG) is a test that records the electrical activity of the heart.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Treatment may include:Fluids through a vein (IV) Washing of the skin (irrigation), perhaps every few hours for several days Tube through the mouth into the stomach to wash out the stomach (gastric lavage) Gastric lavageGastric suction is a procedure to empty the contents of your stomach.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Breathing support, including tube through the mouth into the lungs, and breathing machine (ventilator)Breathing machineA ventilator is a machine that breathes for you or helps you breathe. It is also called a breathing machine or respirator. The ventilator: Is attac...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Outlook (Prognosis) How well a person does depends on the amount of poison swallowed and how quickly treatment is received. The faster a person gets medical help, the better the chance for recovery.Swallowing or putting small amounts of rubber cement in your mouth is often harmless. However, eating large amounts on purpose can cause damage to your brain, liver, and kidneys. Severe damage to your brain, lungs, and kidneys can occur over time from repeatedly sniffing rubber cement.Open ReferencesReferencesAronson JK. Organic solvents. In: Aronson JK, ed. Meyler's Side Effects of Drugs. 16th ed. Waltham, MA: Elsevier; 2016:385-389.Wang GS, Buchanan JA. Hydrocarbons. In: Walls RM, ed. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 147.