Encyclopedia Dubuque
"Encyclopedia Dubuque is the online authority for all things Dubuque, written by the people who know the city best.”
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Affiliated with the Local History Network of the State Historical Society of Iowa, and the Iowa Museum Association.
DUBUQUE POISON CONTROL CENTER
DUBUQUE POISON CONTROL CENTER. The Dubuque Poison Control Center, established in Dubuque in 1963 and located in 1970 at MERCY MEDICAL CENTER was one of a network of poison control centers around the United States. Each was linked to the National Clearinghouse for Poison Control Centers, an agency of the U. S. Public Health Service located in Washington, D.C. The purpose of the National Clearinghouse was to gather product information and distribute it to local poison control centers.
In 1970 there were 560 "major" centers in the United States. Dubuque was considered a "minor" center and was therefore unable to receive the national files. If a question arose that could not be answered locally, information had to be obtained from Iowa City.
In 1970 before labeling requirement were enacted and enforced only a few companies were taking steps to provide information on their product's potential toxicity. Six companies published information listed antidotes for all their products. Two companies imprinted their pills with code numbers and provided an index to the code listing the composition of the coded drugs. Many poisoning cases came from cosmetics or household cleaning products. One of the major activities of poison control centers was to collect information on consumer products by calling the manufacturers.
In 2015 individuals could contact the national center directly at 1-(800) 222-1222.
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Source:
"Dubuque's Poison Control Center," Telegraph Herald, July 9, 1970, p. 21