IMMEDIATE FATALITIES AFTER INTRAVENOUS MERCURIAL DIURETICS

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Abstract
Reported instances of fatalities within a few mins. after the intrav. injn. of various mercurial diuretics total 31, and one similiar case is added in this report. The incidence of these sudden deaths is apparently not influenced by the type of mercurial compd. employed, by the patient''s age or sex, by the disease causing the edema, by the number of previous injns. or the interval between them, or by previous medication. However, the size of the dose and the speed of the injn. may be of some importance. No death has been reported from mercurial diuretics given by any route other than the intraven. Exptl. and clinical evidence strongly suggests that death is caused by the direct action of Hg on the cardiac musculature, causing changes in the intraventricular conduction and terminally ventricular fibrillation. The clinical manifestations of the fatal and non-fatal reactions are described, and suggestions are given for attempting to prevent fatalities.
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