Overhauling Your Medicine Cabinet

*  Check expiration dates. Throw out all outdated medicines. If you’re not sure about a certain item, call your pharmacist. Ask what the shelf life is.

*  Discard old tubes of cream that are hardened or cracked. Throw out any liquid medicines that look cloudy or filmy.

*  If medications are not in original containers and clearly labeled, throw them away. Some medicines come in tinted glass, for example, because exposure to light may cause them to deteriorate.

*  Every medication is a potential poison. If there are children in the house, keep all medicines and vitamins locked in a high cabinet, well out of their reach.

*  Activated charcoal and syrup of ipecac are not advised for home use for swallowed poisons. Call the Poison Control Center at 800.222.1222 for advice.