How can you tell if someone is tipsy, drunk, intoxicated, or over-served? Can you judge by the fact that their eyes are red, their cheeks are rosy, or if their speech is slurred? There are many signs and symptoms of intoxication that can...

The standard features to identify lead intoxication involve abdominal pain, anemia with basophilic stippling of red cells, blue-black gum deposits (Figure 3A,B), and a lead line on joint radiography (Figure 3C) . The blue-purplish lines on the gums are known as “Burton’s lines”.

Nitrites oxidize the iron component of red blood cells (hemoglobin), rendering them unable to carry oxygen. The resulting condition is called methemoglobinemia, and the lack of oxygen is the reason behind the characteristic pale to blue-gray color of the skin.

In general, intoxication happens because substances interfere with how your brain works. More specifically, substances affect how nerve cells (neurons) send, receive and process signals via neurotransmitters (chemical messengers).

Signs include (remember the acronym BLUE): Breathing is very slow, irregular, or has stopped; may hear gurgling or snoring; Lips and fingernails turn blue or purple; Unresponsive - will not wake or respond to your voice or touch; Eye (center) is very small — sometimes called “pinpoint pupils” Not all of these signs will be present.