[Poisoning with elementary mercury: attempted suicide by inhalation of vapors from the heated metal].

This paper reports on a case of attempted suicide by the rare means of prolonged inhalation of fumes from heated mercury. The patient developed symptoms of acute intoxication over a period of 4 to 24 hours after the suicide attempt. This phase consisted of pulmonary, intestinal, psychopathological and neurological signs, persisting at varying intensities for approximately 3 weeks; it was succeeded by a chronic phase with peripheral nerve changes, initially of the axonal type, but later also showing signs of demyelinisation. Furthermore, a pronounced organic brain syndrome developed. The psychopathological, somatic and detoxification results are presented, whereby the symptomatology worsened even after substantial mercury excretion. A follow-up 4 months after the acute episode confirmed the chronicity of the central and peripheral nervous impairment. Therapeutic measures (BAL and aminopenicillin) are discussed; the use of these even 13 weeks after exposure caused massive mercury excretion.