Hypoproteinemia as Protection in Mercuric Chloride Poisoning

Abstract

Summary

Five normal and 2 hypoproteinemic dogs were given similar intravenous HgCl₂ injections. Each normal dog died with characteristic mercury poisoning signs; the hypoproteinemic dogs survived this and 2 more such doses, time interval between doses being 1 month, but died from a fourth dose given 6 1/2 months after the initial hypopro-teinemia, at which time their plasma protein levels were 6.7 and 5.8 g %. Control dogs excreted less than half the mercury; the hypoproteinemic dogs excreted over half of it within the first 3 days. It is suggested that the resistance to mercury toxicity seen in the hypoproteinemic animals may be due to increased extracellular volume and, more important, a relatively small binding of Hg₊₊ by protein, permitting more rapid excretion and diminished cell susceptibility.