Arsenic neuropathy.

Arsenic neuropathy in a young Thai male who accidentally drank a glass of arsenic solution was reported. Two hours after ingestion, he experienced nausea and vomiting. Ten days later, distal sensory loss and weakness developed. Symptoms and signs were progressive to the severity that the patient was functionally dependent. After five months on a rehabilitation programme, he regained functional independence although he still exhibited distal weakness.

Muscular dystrophy with particular oculopharyngeal involvement.

The authors report the case of 33-year-old woman who presented with a 20 year history of external ophthalmoplegia with later involvement of pharyngeal and proximal muscles. Tensilon test excluded myasthenia gravis. Electromyography showed myopathy and muscle biopsy showed evidence of mitochondrial myopathy. Recent investigations revealed that the pathogenesis was probably due to abnormal genetic transmission in mitochondrial inner membrane respiratory chains. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first case reported in Thailand.