抄録
Four cases of atypical elemental mercury poisoning are reported each of which showing a sudden increase of urinary mercury excretion, which lasted for about 6 months, after 18th month from the exposure, although urinary mercury concentrations had been gradually decreased until 17th month after the mercury vapor exposure. The characteristic features such as tremor and kidney symptoms usually seen in elemental mercury poisoning were not observed in our four cases. Some patients showed concentric constriction of visual fields, hearing damage in high frequencies, ataxia and peripheral neuropathy which were frequently seen in the alkyl mercury poisoning. But, these signs were considered to be related to mercury vapor exposure, although some other agents might have produced such unusual symptoms. The reason for the sudden increase of urinary mercury for many months after the exposure was not explained in the present study.
