[Intravenous self-administration of metallic mercury by two alcohol abusers]

Abstract

This paper presents two alcohol abusers, who intravenously self-injected metallic mercury. In one of them during the injection a portion of mercury penetrated into extravenous compartment of his right arm. The second patient with depression, sociopathy and three suicide attempts in the past repeated intravenous injections with small amounts of mercury several times. The results of physical examination and all laboratory tests for both the men were normal. Blood mercury concentrations were 300 micrograms/l and 710 micrograms/l, respectively. X-ray film revealed the presence of metallic mercury deposits in lungs, right ventricle and inside the interstitial tissue of the right arm. The largest deposits of mercury inside and necrotic tissue were surgically removed from the right arm.