CLINICAL EXCRETION OF MERCURY

Abstract

As was pointed out in the first paper of this series the quantitative excretion of mercury is an important index of the concentration of active mercury in the tissues, and should therefore furnish data for the rational administration of mercury. A number of studies on this subject have been published, but they are not conclusive, mainly because the material was not sufficiently extensive to judge and to take account of the natural variability. Some of the studies also disregard the feces, a factor which might be important; and some of the analytic methods appeared rather questionable, at least theoretically. We found the subject difficult; but with the collaboration of the staffs and resources of the chemistry department of Adelbert College, the department of experimental medicine, the school of pharmacy, the departments of dermatology and syphilology of Lakeside and City Hospitals and the department of pharmacology, we have been able to