[Encephalopathy after poisoning with organic mercury compounds]. / Encefalopatia po zatruciu zwiazkami organicznymi rteci.

Organic mercury compounds have greatest affinity to the central nervous system (cerebellar white matter, basal ganglia, occipital and frontal cortex). Anatomical changes observed in the brain are of degenerative type. Similar changes are found also in the myocardium, liver and kidneys. The authors observed for 2 years a family of three persons who contracted poisoning with organic mercury compounds after easting the meat of pigs and hens fed through negligence with wheat destined for sowing, containing methyl-mercurocyanoguanidine. The level of total mercury determined by the method of cold atomic absorption was in these patients four months after poisoning 650,500 and 175 ng/ml of blood (normal value from 1.56 to 18.72 ng/ml). During the observation it has been established that the severity of poisoning was related to the level of mercury found in the organism. Pharmacological treatment (Cuprenil, Thioctacid, vitamin B complex) and rehabilitation brough slight improvement after 2 years. Two patients with total blood mercury level 650 and 500 ng/ml were completely disabled due to encephalopathy with high grade ataxia, dysarthria and concentric narrowing of the field of vision. In the third patients with less severe poisoning (175 ng/ml) pathological manifestations disappeared completely after short treatment.

[Case of Fahr's syndrome]. / Przypadek zespolu Fahra.

Convulsions, extrapyramidal-cerebellar syndrome and coma led within 8 weeks to death of a 40-year-old woman. Autopsy demonstrated calcifications in the ganglia of brain base and cerebellum.