CLINICAL USES OF 2,3-DIMERCAPTOPROPANOL (BAL). XI. THE TREATMENT OF ACUTE MERCURY POISONING BY BAL 1

Abstract
Twenty-three cases of acute poisoning by HgCl2 have been treated with intramusc. injns. of BAL, with only one death. The severity of poisoning was comparable to a control series in which the fatality rate was 13%. The one death occurred in a patient treated with BAL 13 hrs. after ingestion of Hg. From these and further data, it is apparent that early and vigorous treatment with BAL is followed by recovery of patients who would almost certainly have died under routine treatment without BAL. The benefits of BAL treatment are not so evident in patients treated more than 4 hrs. after poisoning. An initial dose of 300 mg. of BAL is recommended, followed within 12 hrs. by 2 or 3 further injns. of 150 mg. each.