CARBON TETRACHLORIDE POISONING

Abstract

A recent experience with carbon tetrachloride gave me the opportunity to make use of methionine as a therapeutic aid. The value of this drug has been suggested by animal experiments reported by György¹ and by Miller and Whipple.² The first clinical use was reported by Beattie and his associates,³ who described its use in a case of carbon tetrachloride poisoning. This paper was discussed in an editorial⁴ in The Journal. I believe that this has been the first opportunity to treat a group of cases of acute hepatitis with methionine in this country. It is felt that in the first case death was very likely and that methionine should be considered as having been instrumental in the recovery of the patient. Carbon tetrachloride has been well known as a toxic chemical for many years but there has been a tendency to treat its dangerous properties somewhat