Effects of chronic mercuric chloride intoxication on the structure of rat's cerebellum

Adult albino rats were subcutaneously injected with mercuric chloride at a dose of 0.05 mg/100 gm of body weight, three times weekly for one month control animals received physiological saline injections. Sections of the cerebellar vermis were prepared and stained with hematoxylin and eosin. Large number of dark cells were observed in all layers of the cerebellum of the mercury treated group. They also showed vacuolations and aggregation of small neurons in the white matter. Quantitative measurements revealed increased volume proportion of the granular layer within the cerebellum [VVG] in the inorganic mercury treated group. It was concluded that chronic inorganic mercury intoxication produce hazardous effects on the rat's cerebellum similar in many respects to those of organic mercury

Dermatoglyphics in childhood neoplasia

Finger and hand prints of 24 males and 11 females suffering from different types of childhood neoplasia were examined. 32 males and 15 females of similar ages were chosen as control groups. Significant increase in the incidence of Sydney line was observed in patients in both hands. Distal displacement of the axial triradius to an intermediate position [i] was observed in the patients. Higher total percentage frequency of whorls was observed in female patients as compared to female controls. This was accompanied by a fall in the percentage frequency of arches in the same group. No significant difference could be observed between the diseased and control groups as regard to the main line index and a-b ridge count. It was concluded that childhood neoplasia may manifest itself in the finger prints in the form of diminusion of the bisexual difference in the pattern frequency on finger tips and the total finger ridge count as well as increased frequency of Sydney line in the hand prints