Inorganic mercury, in the form of mercurous chloride, or calomel, is intentionally added to some cosmetic products sold through informal channels in Mexico and the US for skin lightening and acne treatment. These products have led to multiple cases of mercury poisoning but few investigations have addressed the contamination of cream users' homes. We report on several cases of mercury poisoning ...

Husband, P., and McKellar, W. J. D. (1970). Archives of Disease in Childhood, 45, 264. Infantile renal tubular acidosis due to mercury poisoning. A 9month-old infant with renal tubular acidosis is reported. This illness followed the use of ammoniated mercury ointment for a napkin eruption. Raised levels of inorganic mercury were found in the urine. The patient was treated with alkalis, dimercap...

We describe four men who had symptoms of acute mercury poisoning following exposure to mercury vapor. They were attempting home gold ore purification using a gold-mercury amalgam and sulfuric acid. Three of the four patients required treatment with penicillamine. The clinical and laboratory data are presented along with pulmonary function test results. Long-term follow-up of one patient indicat...

Acute mercury inhalation poisoning is a rare cause of acute lung injury. It is usually fatal because of progressive pulmonary failure. We experienced a patient with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) after illicit use of mercury vapor for hemorrhoid treatment; he developed acute chemical pneumonitis following exposure to mercury vapor. Prompt treatment with corticosteroids and penicilla...

Introduction: Inorganic mercury intoxication is rare and usually the result of occupational exposure, suicide attempt or accident. This article presents the case of acute poisoning due to peritoneal lavage with mercury bichloride. Case report: A 30 year old woman was operated in order to remove a teratoma from her right ovary. On the second postoperative day she presented ileus, renal failure a...

OBJECTIVES Despite restrictions, mercury continues to pose a health concern. Mercury has the ability to deposit in most parts of the body and can cause a wide range of unspecific symptoms leading to diagnostic mistakes. METHODS AND RESULTS We report the case of severe mercury vapour poisoning after occupational exposure in a chloralkali plant worker that resulted in life-threatening respirato...

In 1940 Hunter and others, reporting on cases of poisoning by methyl mercury compounds, showed that those working with certain organic mercury derivatives are exposed to great danger. In 1945 Herner collated the cases of poisoning by alkyl mercury compounds recorded in' the literature. The seven cases hitherto published show a characteristic clinical picture beginning with a sensation of numbne...