Production of Acute Pulmonary Edema by Ammonium Salts.

Abstract

Toxic doses of ammonium salts produce acute lung edema in guinea pigs, rats and cats. For the guinea pig, 0.09-0.15 g./ 100 g. of body wt. by gavage was most satisfactory, for the rat, 0.04 g. intraperit. The ammonium ion is responsible for the lung changes. Toxic signs included dyspnea, muscle fasciculations and convulsions terminating in an early acute lung edema. Lung edema, hemorrhage and congestion were the prominent findings at autopsy along with a moderate dilatation of the right ventricle, right atrium, and entering venae cavae.