A poison control center is the place to call if your child accidentally swallows something dangerous, like paint or a detergent pod.
But the Rocky Mountain Poison Center based in Denver also tracks the things that poison Coloradans.
It monitors prescription drug misuse, tracks new substances Coloradans might ingest and helps hospitals treat venomous snake bites.
Dr. Richard Dart first led the center, which serves Colorado and three other western states, in1992. In the decades that followed, he saw many changes, from how the center handles phone calls to how it trains the next generation of toxicologists.
Earlier this year, Dr. Dart announced his retirement. Ahead of that, he spoke with Erin O’Toole about how the things that sicken or kill Coloradans have changed in recent decades – and what drew him to this unusual line of work. We’re listening back to that conversation today.
If you enjoyed this conversation, check out our interview with Stephen Mackessy, a researcher at the University of Northern Colorado who’s part of an international team developing more effective, less costly antivenom to treat venomous snake bites.
