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Previous Volume 349:1731-1737 October 30, 2003 Number 18 Next

	Since this article has no abstract, we have provided an extract of the first 100 words of the full text and any section headings.

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Mercury has been used commercially and medically for centuries. In the past it was a common constituent of many medications. It is still used in hospitals in thermometers and blood-pressure cuffs and commercially in batteries, switches, and fluorescent light bulbs. Large quantities of metallic mercury are employed as electrodes in the electrolytic production of chlorine and sodium hydroxide from saline. These uses still give rise to accidental and occupational exposures.¹

Today, however, exposure of the general population comes from three major sources: fish consumption, dental amalgams, and vaccines. Each has its own characteristic form of mercury and distinctive toxicologic profile . . . [Full Text of this Article]

Mercury Vapor from Dental Amalgams

Mercury Vapor from Quicksilver in the Home

Methyl Mercury

Exposure in Adults

Prenatal Exposure

Thimerosal in Vaccines

Source Information

From the Departments of Environmental Medicine (T.W.C.) and Neurology and Pediatrics (G.J.M.), University of Rochester School of Medicine, Rochester, N.Y.; and the Medical Research Council Laboratories, Carshalton, United Kingdom (L.M.).

Address reprint requests to Dr. Clarkson at the Department of Environmental Medicine, Box EHSC, University of Rochester School of Medicine, Rochester, NY 14642, or at twc30@aol.com.

Related Letters:

The Toxicology of Mercury
Block L. S., Patterson B., Ryan J., Dickey J. H., Wendroff A. P., Ross D. A., Koral S. M., Clarkson T., Magos L., Myers G.
Extract | Full Text | PDF  
N Engl J Med 2004; 350:945-947, Feb 26, 2004. Correspondence

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