Toxic substances and the nervous system: the role of clinical observation.

This paper describes various neurological diseases produced by metals to illustrate the common ways in which toxic disorders arise in our modern environment. At the turn of the century anyone interested in neurotoxicity of metals would probably have studied inorganic lead, inorganic mercury and arsenic as occupational hazards. Although control of exposure is still important, it is a triumph of public conscience and govern- ment legislation that neurological disorders due to these metals are virtually non-existent in this country today. I do not propose to consider them further. Nowadays, our environment is poisoned, doctors poison their patients and people poison themselves to such an extent that more toxic illnesses occur today than during the height of the industrial revolution. I will discuss a few examples.