Acute Mercuric Chloride intoxication. 73 



appears preferable to plasma for potassium determinations since 

 hemolysis seems to be much more readily prevented. 



35 (1617) 



On the elimination of phenolsulphonephthalein in acute mercuric 

 chloride intoxication. 



By Wm. deB. Mac Nider. 



[From the Laboratory of Pharmacology of the University of North 



Carolina.] 



In two recent publications 1,2 on the toxic effect of mercuric 

 chloride in normal and in naturally nephropathic animals, obser- 

 vations have been made concerning the relationship between 

 the development of an acid intoxication and the acute kidney 

 injury. In these animals the poison was given in large doses, 

 15 mgs. per kilogram, which eliminated the study of the develop- 

 ment of the intoxication in the early stages. 



The following preliminary note has as its object a study of the 

 early stages of the development of an acid intoxication from mer- 

 curic chloride and the relationship of such a disturbance to renal 

 function as is shown by the elimination of phenolsulphonephthalein. 



Fourteen normal dogs have been used in the study. The 

 animals were kept in metabolism cages, fed on bread with a small 

 amount of cooked meat and given 500 c.c. of water by stomach 

 tube daily. The animals were catheterized once a day and the 

 urine examined for albumin and glucose. Centrifugalized samples 

 were examined for casts. The phenolsulphonephthalein test was 

 conducted according to the technique of Rowntree and Geraghty. 

 Blood urea determinations were made by the method of Marshall 

 as modified by Van Slyke and Cullen. The reserve alkali of the 

 blood (R.p.H.) was determined by the method of Marriott. 

 After the commencement of the intoxication the urine was ex- 



1 MacNider, Wm. deB., "A Study of Acute Mercuric Chloride Intoxication 

 In The Dog with Special Reference To The Kidney Injury," Jour. Exp. Med., 

 Vol. XXVII, 519. 1918. 



2 MacNider, Wm. deB., "The Susceptibility of Naturally Nephropathic Animals 

 to Acute Mercuric Chloride Intoxications," Jour. Med. Research, Vol. XXXIX, 

 461, 1919. 



