Cloarec S, Deschenes G, Sagnier M, Rolland JC & Nivet H. [Arterial hypertension due to mercury poisoning: diagnostic value of captopril]. Hypertension arterielle par intoxication au mercure: interet diagnostique du captopril. Arch Pediatr 2(1):43-46 (1995) (In French with English abstract)

Abstract: "BACKGROUND--Mercury poisoning is a rare cause of hypertension in children. Urinary excretion sometimes remains low despite severe clinical intoxication. CASE REPORT--A 32 month-old girl was admitted with hypertension, tachycardia, apathy, irritability and excessive sweating. Erythromelalgia and neurologic symptoms permitted the diagnosis of acrodynia. Urine mercury remained normal until chelation. Captopril significantly increased urine mercury concentration but failed to improve clinical manifestations. Clinical improvement required infusions of BAL for 5 days then oral dimercaptosuccinic acid for 3 months. Metal vapors originated from the mercury which spilled from a broken thermometer onto the carpet. COMMENTS--Low basal urine mercury could be associated with real mercury poisoning. Small amounts of metal mercury held in a thermometer could produce a high level of mercury vapor leading to intoxication in young children. The binding capacity of metal ions by captopril could be used to increase urine mercury output. Nevertheless, captopril therapy fails to improve acrodynia. Total elimination of mercury requires long-term therapy with BAL or dimercaptosuccinic acid. CONCLUSIONS--An unexpected mode of intoxication and low basal urine mercury are not decisive arguments against mercury poisoning, which is the only cause of acrodynia."

Dathan JG & Harvey CC. Pink Disease - Ten Years After (The Epilogue). Br Med J 1:1181-1182 (1965)

Abstract: "The incidence and mostality rate of pink disease have fallen dramatically since teething powders containing mercury were withdrawn from the market in 1954. In one paediatric practice in South Yorkshire an average of nine new cases had been seen annually during the period 1948-54, whereas only four cases have occurred since. The national death-rate from pink disease shows a similar decline, from 57 in 1950 to seven in 1955, and to none in 1961 and 1962. A fatal case ocurring in 1963 is described where out-of-date mercury-containing teething powders, bought from a village shop in Oxfordshire, had been administered. The divergent views on the causation of pink disease are discussed, and the results of this survey interpreted as conclusive evidence that this disease is caused by the ingestion of mercury."

Dirks MJ, Davis DR, Cheraskin E & Jackson JA. Mercury excretion and intravenous ascorbic acid. Arch Environ Health 49(1):49-52 (1994)

Abstract: "We tested the hypothesis that intravenous ascorbic acid increases urinary excretion of mercury in subjects with low mercury levels from dental amalgam, food, and other sources. From 89 adult volunteers we selected 28 subjects with the highest mercury excretions (2 to 14 micrograms/24 h). We administered intravenous infusions of 500 ml lactated Ringer's solution with and without addition of 750 mg of ascorbic acid/kg bod weight, up to 60 g ascorbic acid. Average mercury excretion during the 24 h after infusion of ascorbic acid was 4.0 +/- 0.5 micrograms (mean +/- SEM), which was not significantly more than after infusion of Ringer's solution alone (3.7 +/- 0.5 micrograms). Lead excretion was similarly unaffected. If ascorbic acid administered intravenously benefits some persons with suspected adverse reactions to mercury, the benefit in subjects similar to ours appears unrelated to short-term enhanced excretion of mercury or lead."

Drasch G, Schupp I, Hofl H, Reinke R & Roider G. Mercury burden of human fetal and infant tissues. Eur J Pediatr 153:607-610 (1994)

Abstract: "The total mercury concentrations in the liver (Hg-L), the kidney cortex (Hg-K) and the cerebral cortex (Hg-C) of 108 children aged 1 day - 5 years, and the Hg-K and Hg-L of 46 fetuses were determined. As far as possible, the mothers were interviewed and their dental status was recorded. The results were compared to mercury concentrations in the tissues of adults from the same geographical area. The Hg-K (n=38) and Hg-L (n=40) of fetuses and Hg-K (n = 35) and Hg-C (n = 35) of older infants (11-50 weeks of life) correlated significantly with the number of amalgamfillings of the mother. The toxicological relevance of the unexpected high Hg-K of older infants from mothers with higher numbers of dental amalgam fillings is discussed."

Dunn J, Clarkson TW & Magos L. Ethanol-increased exhalation of mercury in mice. Br J Ind Med 35:241-244 (1978)

Abstract: "CBA/J mice injected three days beforehand with 203HgCl2 were given ethanol or water by gavage and placed in a chamber designed to collect exhaled mercury. Ethanol treatment led to an eight-fold increase of counts accumulated on a filter over a four-hour period, compared with water-treated mice. The mercury-collection apparatus tested for extracorporeal contribution of volatilised mercury indicated that the counts originated from the air exhaled by the mice."

Edlund C, Bjorkman L, Ekstrand J, Sandborgh-Englund G & Nord CE. Resistance of the Normal Human Microflora to mercury and Antimicrobials After Exposure to Mercury from Dental Amalgam Fillings. Clin Infect Dis 22(6):944-950 (1996)

Abstract:"The concentrations of mercury in saliva and feces and the resistance pattern of the gastrointestinal microflora were investigated for 20 subjects. Ten patients, with a mean number of 19 amalgam surfaces, had all amalgam fillings removed during one dental session. Ten subjects without amalgam fillings served as a control group, Saliva and fecal samples were collected before amalgam removal and 2, 7, 14, and 60 days afterward. Mercury levels in saliva and feces correlated significantly with the number of amalgam surfaces. No differences in the resistance pattern of the oral microflora were detected between the two groups. In the amalgam group there was an increase in the relative number of intestinal microorganisms resistant to mercury, ampicillin, cefoxitin, erythromycin, and clindamycin on days 7-14. This was not statistically significant in light of the normal variations of the control group. A significant correlation between the prevalence of mercury resistance and multiple antimicrobial resistance in intestinal bacterial strains was observed."

Also make sure to read these books: Poison in Your Teeth: Mercury Amalgam (Silver) Fillings...Hazardous to Your Health! and Mercury Detoxification by Tom McGuire