What are the consequences of drinking mercury?

Many people don't know what the consequences of drinking mercury are. Mercury is a mineral with a high specific gravity and is highly toxic. Generally speaking, this substance is often used in sphygmomanometers and thermometers because mercury is relatively stable and is not affected by environmental factors such as temperature. If you drink mercury, you will experience gastrointestinal reactions such as vomiting and diarrhea, as well as poisoning symptoms such as dizziness and headache. Let’s take a closer look.

1. Acute mercury poisoning

(1) Systemic symptoms include metallic taste in the mouth, headache, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, fatigue, body aches, chills, fever (38-39°C), and in severe cases, emotional agitation, irritability, insomnia, and even convulsions, coma, or mental disorders.

(2) Respiratory manifestations include cough, sputum, chest pain, dyspnea, cyanosis, and dry or wet rales or weakened breath sounds that may be heard in both lungs on auscultation.

(3) Gastrointestinal manifestations include gingival swelling and pain, erosion, bleeding, oral mucosal ulcers, loose teeth, drooling, "mercurial line", lip and cheek mucosal ulcers, abnormal liver function and liver enlargement. Oral poisoning may cause abdominal pain, diarrhea, and mucus or bloody stools. In severe cases, gastrointestinal perforation may lead to generalized peritonitis, shock may occur due to dehydration, and liver damage may occur in some cases.

(4) Toxic nephropathy is caused by necrosis of renal tubular epithelial cells. Generally, oral administration of mercury salts for several hours or inhalation of high concentrations of mercury vapor for 2 to 3 days will cause edema, anuria, azotemia, hyperkalemia, acidosis, uremia, etc., until acute renal failure and life-threatening. People who are allergic to mercury may experience hematuria, eosinophilia, and systemic allergic symptoms. Some patients may develop acute glomerulonephritis, and severe cases may have hematuria, proteinuria, hypertension, and acute renal failure (ARF).

(5) Skin manifestations usually appear 2 to 3 days after poisoning and are red maculopapular rashes. Early on, it appears on the limbs, head and face, and then spreads throughout the body, where it may fuse into flakes or ulcers, and become infected and accompanied by swollen lymph nodes throughout the body. In severe cases, exfoliative dermatitis may occur.

2. Subacute mercury poisoning