Analysis of data on delayed development from the 1971-72 outbreak of methylmercury poisoning in Iraq: assessment of influential points.

In this paper we report additional results from the analysis of dose-response data on delayed development from the outbreak of methylmercury poisoning in rural Iraq during the winter of 1971-72. The discussion is focused on the importance of four influential points for the estimation of the population threshold for the effects of methylmercury. The point is made that while this study was important for establishing a dose-response relationship in humans, the uncertainty in the parameters of this relationship is large, and further human studies are needed.