The toxicity of some dithiocarbamate compounds in young and adult domestic fowl

Abstract

Sodium diethyldithiocarbamate, sodium dimethyldithiocarbamate, ferric dimethyldithiocarbamate, zinc dimethyldithiocarbamate, and tetramethylthiuram disulphide were given po to young and adult domestic fowl. All these compounds had an adverse effect on body weight, retarded testicular development, and produced degeneration in the seminiferous epithelium of mature birds. Nerve fiber degeneration was produced in the medulla and spinal cord of chicks by sodium diethyldithiocarbamate and of cocks by sodium dimethyldithiocarbamate. This is the first record of nerve fiber degeneration being produced by sodium dimethyldithiocarbamate. Chicks given thiram became lame, and their long bones developed greatly swollen epiphyses. This was due to abnormal endochondral ossification, giving rise to a thickened cartilaginous epiphyseal plate. Ziram was the most toxic of the compounds, and sodium diethyldithiocarbamate and tetramethylthiuram disulphide appeared to be more toxic to adult fowl than sodium or ferric dimethyldithiocarbamate.