A typical case of fatal kerosene poisoning in a child is reported in considerable detail, with the gross and microscopic postmortem findings, and the clinical aspects of this type of intoxication are presented extensively. The oral L.D.50 of a series of different commercial brands of kerosene was approx. 28 ml./kg. of body wt. for adult rabbits, and 20 ml ./kg. for adult guinea pigs. By intraven. injn., the lethal dose for rabbits was about 0.18 ml./kg. and 6.6 ml./kg. intraperit. Young rats were more susceptible than adult animals. Evidence is presented to support the thesis that in kerosene intoxication pulmonary injury may be sustained from the kerosene carried to the lung by the blood stream, as well as from the direct introduction of the fluid by aspiration, and that this former route is of great importance in the development of the lung damage which results primarily from vascular injury. Because of the fact that absorption with consequent deleterious systemic effects continues as long as kerosene remains in the gastroenteric tract, every effort should be made to remove it as quickly as possible in treating cases of kerosene poisoning.