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