IMMUNE THROMBOCYTOPENIA AND ELEMENTAL MERCURY-POISONING

Three cases of severe mercury toxicity occurring within a family are r eported. Two cases of thrombocytopenia occurred in this family and rep resent the second such report in the literature of an association betw een elemental mercury toxicity and thrombocytopenia. Three of the chil dren presented with a combination of dermatologic and neurologic manif estations reminiscent of acrodynia or pink disease. Each of the four c hildren in this family were treated with dimercaptosuccinic acid. The hazard of vacuuming spilled mercury and appropriate clean-up procedure s are described.