A toxicologist is a scientist who studies poisons — what they are, how much of a substance is dangerous, what it does to the body, and how to treat someone who has taken it. Their work sits in several places.

A toxicologist毒物學家 is a scientist who studies poisons是研究毒物的科學家——what they are毒物是什麼、how much of a substance is dangerous多少劑量的物質算危險、what it does to the body它對身體做了什麼、and how to treat someone who has taken it還有怎麼治療中毒的人。Their work他們的工作 sits in several places分布在好幾個地方。

A forensic toxicologist tests blood, urine, and tissue after a death or a crime, and often gives evidence in court; this is the kind you see on television. A clinical toxicologist works with hospitals and poison centres, advising doctors treating a patient who swallowed something dangerous.

A forensic toxicologist法醫毒物學家 tests blood, urine, and tissue會檢驗血液、尿液和組織 after a death or a crime在有人死亡或發生犯罪之後，and often gives evidence in court也常常在法庭上作證；this is the kind you see on television這就是你在電視上看到的那種。A clinical toxicologist臨床毒物學家 works with hospitals and poison centres跟醫院和毒物中心合作，advising doctors為醫生提供建議 treating a patient who swallowed something dangerous給誤吞危險物質的病人治療。

Others work in industry or government, deciding whether a new medicine, a pesticide, or a food additive is safe, and setting the legal limits. A useful idea behind the whole job: a toxicologist thinks in doses, not in simple safe-or-poisonous labels, because almost anything can harm you in a large enough amount — even water — and many real poisons are harmless in tiny ones.

Others其他人 work in industry or government在業界或政府工作，deciding whether a new medicine, a pesticide, or a food additive is safe判斷新藥、農藥或食品添加物是否安全，and setting the legal limits並訂出法定的限量。A useful idea behind the whole job這整份工作背後有個實用的觀念：a toxicologist thinks in doses毒物學家是用「劑量」在思考，not in simple safe-or-poisonous labels而不是簡單分成安全或有毒的標籤，because almost anything can harm you in a large enough amount因為幾乎任何東西量夠大都會傷害你——even water連水都一樣——and many real poisons are harmless in tiny ones而很多真正的毒物在極小量時是無害的。

So when a toxicologist says something is 'toxic', they normally mean 'toxic at this amount'.

So when a toxicologist says something is 'toxic'所以當毒物學家說某個東西「有毒」時，they normally mean 'toxic at this amount'他們通常是指「在這個劑量下有毒」。