Abstract
A dose of 0.25 mg Hg/kg/day was administered po to 2 groups of cats for 12–14 weeks, either as pure methylmercuric chloride or as methylmercury-contaminated fish. A control group received a diet containing uncontaminated fish. Clinical signs of methylmercury intoxication consisting of ataxia, intention tremor and impaired righting reflex and convulsions developed between 55 and 96 days in both treated groups, at which time the total dose received was between 14 and 24 mg Hg/kg. Tissue mercury content was similar in both groups of treated animals, as were the pathologic changes. Lesions were found in the cerebellar vermis and the cerebral cortex. The changes consisted of loss of nerve cells with replacement by reactive and fibrillary gliosis. Chromosome studies of terminal bone marrow samples showed no abnormalities. A separate group of 8 cats received a single oral dose of 203H-labelled methylmercuric chloride, and the blood mercury concentration was measured weekly. The t 1 2 for the elimination of mercury from blood was found to be 39 ± 4 days (mean ± SE).
Published Version
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