Quaternary ammonium compound toxicity in chickens

Two commercial White Leghorn flocks of 41,000 and 57,000 25-week-old hens experienced death losses of 676 and 1,089 birds in a week. Six birds from each flock were presented for necropsy to the Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory at Purdue University with a clinical history of excessive deaths, unsatisfactory production, and dehydration. Gross lesions were present on the tongue and on oral and pharyngeal mucosa as uniformly pale or white areas with interspersed multifocal sites of ulceration. Other changes were cyanotic, shriveled combs and wattles and ruptured ovarian follicles with concurrent egg yolk peritonitis. Microscopic examination revealed large areas of coagulative necrosis with multifocal epithelial ulceration of the oral and pharyngeal mucosae. There was an intense inflammatory, heterophilic response at the periphery of affected areas. Alterations in the abdominal viscera were limited to egg yolk peritonitis. The high death rate and oral lesions were attributed to accidental use of excessive levels of a quaternary ammonium disinfectant in the drinking water.

[Lethal intoxication by formalin during dialysis (author's transl)]

Systems for dialysis are disinfected, among other solutions, by formalin. Residues of formalin may remain in the interior of the system. A lethal intoxication with formalin by transvasal introduction of formalin during the dialysis of patients with nephritic disease cannot be observed very often. Two cases of death at the same time in one system for dialysis make evident that every case of death during dialysis should be investigated. The central symptom in both patients was dyspnea. It is probable that formalin affects the transportation and exchange of oxygen with lethal hemolysis.

Allergic contact dermatitis from methylisothiocyanate in soil disinfectants

Observations on nine patients with occupational dermatitis from methylisothiocyanate (MITC) lead to the following conclusions: 1. MITC causes primarily a toxic dermatitis, but as a strong sensitizer it induces sensitization as well. 2. Cross reactions between MITC and benzylisothiocyanate, the active agent of Sulbentin antimycotics, were not seen. 3. In patient a MITC acid burn on one foot and leg caused systemic poisoning from absorption with reversible damage to the liver parenchyma.

Acute toxic nephropathies: clinical pathologic correlations

Man's ever increasing exposure to numerous drugs and chemicals, which are the results of medical and industrial progress, produces a by-product of acute toxic nephropathies. These include acute toxic renal failure, drug-induced acute oliguric renal failure, acute hemorrhagic glomerulonephritis, nephrotic syndrome, tubular disturbances and potassium deficiency. In depth information is provided for the previously mentioned disorders.