ACUTE INTOXICATION AND RECOVERY FOLLOWING MASSIVE TURPENTINE INGESTION - CLINICAL AND TOXICOLOGICAL DATA

Reports of acute turpentine intoxication, particularly containing toxi cological data, are poorly verified in the literature. This report reg ards the intentional massive ingestion of turpentine solution in an el derly woman who developed mainly central nervous system manifestations , then had an impressive and quick total recovery although the initial prognosis was very bad. Blood and urine levels of turpentine were mon itored using gas chromatography and at the early toxicogenic stage wer e 28 mu g/mL and 15 mu g/mL respectively. Gastric Fluid analysis on ad mission to the hospital revealed the presence of approximately 200 mL turpentine in the intestine. A review of earlier reports is given.