MINEEAL OE INOEGANIC POISONS 55 



excreted as such in the faeces, very little of this salt being 

 absorbed. 



The toxic doses of mercuric chloride by the mouth are 

 given by Kaufmann as — 



Horse 120 grains 1 Sheep 60 grains 



Ox 120 „ I . Dog 3-5 „ 



Symptoms. — Recorded instances of mercurial poisoning 

 among animals are rare, and the data unfortunately by no 

 means always complete or instructive. 



Acute poisoning exhibits the usual sequelae of nausea and 

 vomiting where possible, with violent diarrhoea and strain- 

 ing, the stools being watery or bloody. These symptoms 

 are followed by collapse, weakness of the pulse, irregular 

 respiration, a subnormal temperature, and death by shock, 

 or if there is survival for several days, acute gastro-enteritis, 

 salivation, irritation of the kidneys, and death from 

 exhaustion. 



Characteristic of mercurialism is the salivation or 

 ptyalism, the blanching of the membranes of the mouth, 

 and loosening of the teeth, probably caused by the local 

 excretion of mercury. Wallis Hoare points out the danger 

 of using too strong mercurial lotions, and has encountered 

 salivation and even death in dogs after the use of white 

 precipitate ointment. Serious local inflammation of the 

 mouth and eyes with formation of pustules has also been 

 noted by the same authority in horses, caused by rubbing 

 against a part dressed with the biniodide ointment. 



In the case observed by Prohner (loc. cit.) a horse was 

 dressed over the ribs, back, and quarters with blue oint- 

 ment. The symptoms ensued after seven days, when the 

 patient displayed loss of appetite, diarrhoea, profuse nasal 

 discharge, staring coat, pulse 68 and weak, temperature 

 102|° P. Pustules of 1 inch in diameter formed at the 

 points of application of the ointment, diarrhoea and dis- 

 charge increased, with extreme debility, depression, and 

 dulness of sensation, followed by death on the ninth dfiy. 



In the case observed by Lander {he. cit.) the mercury 



