MERCURY POISONING FOLLOWING THE USE OF MEROXYL

This case is considered of sufficient importance to report, because it represents the only instance known to me of mercury poisoning following the use of one of the mercurial germicides, meroxyl. Apparently, death resulted from absorption of this drug, which had been used to swab the wound during a protracted orthopedic operation. REPORT OF CASE History. —A poorly developed and poorly nourished white girl, aged 13 years, was, from the age of 2 years, unable to walk correctly, because of muscular weakness diagnosed as postpoliomyelitic paralysis. For the improvement of her condition, she was operated on at the New Haven Hospital, Sept. 30, 1924, a fasciotomy, lasting one hour and forty minutes, being done under gas-oxygen anesthesia. The condition of the child was good immediately after the operation, but about seven hours later, signs of collapse appeared and persisted. The child had many loose, involuntary stools, vomited repeatedly, and was,