Patient's question:
Problem Description: In middle school, when I was taking physics class, my hand touched mercury, and then I put my hand in my mouth and licked it. Is there a problem?Doctor's answer:
Acute mercury poisoning is mainly caused by the oral ingestion of mercuric chloride and other mercury compounds. Symptoms develop within minutes to tens of minutes after ingestion, leading to acute corrosive stomatitis and gastroenteritis. Patients report burning pain in the mouth and throat, accompanied by nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and subsequently diarrhea. The vomit and feces often contain bloody mucus and sloughed-off necrotic tissue. Patients may also experience peripheral circulatory failure and gastrointestinal perforation. Acute renal failure can occur within 3 to 4 days (or within 24 hours in severe cases), and liver damage may also be present.Inhalation of high concentrations of mercury vapor can cause fever, chemical tracheobronchitis, and pneumonia, leading to respiratory failure and acute renal failure.
Skin contact with mercury and its compounds can cause contact dermatitis with an allergic nature. The rash appears as erythematous papules, which may coalesce into patches or form vesicles. Hyperpigmentation may remain after healing.