eli5: On the packaging of toilet cleaner and an article on mouthwash says that if ingested, do not induce vomitting, why is this? Wouldn’t it be better to get rid of as much of the harmful liquid as possible? What harm can happen if vomitting is induced?

Question

eli5: On the packaging of toilet cleaner and an article on mouthwash says that if ingested, do not induce vomitting, why is this? Wouldn’t it be better to get rid of as much of the harmful liquid as possible? What harm can happen if vomitting is induced?

In: 1821

Answer 1

If it burns going down, it’s going to burn coming up. If your esophagus is a tube of raw, scorched meat from a caustic substance, then vomiting it up is going to disintegrate what’s left. Your esophagus is incredibly vascular (lots and lots of blood flow), a simple tear and you can bleed out in minutes, and there’s no way to staunch the flow. A total erosion? Your done in seconds.