A medical procedure that involves washing out the stomach contents through a large tube inserted via the mouth or nose. Primarily used in cases of poisoning or drug overdose to remove toxic substances before they can be absorbed.
From Greek 'gaster' meaning 'stomach' combined with French 'lavage' meaning 'washing.' This emergency procedure became standardized in the 19th century as understanding of toxicology advanced and physicians sought ways to rapidly remove poisons from the digestive system.
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