Nephrotic Syndrome With Use of Ammoniated Mercury

IT IS well known that mercury can affect renal function. Organic mercurials can produce diuresis, and organic or inorganic mercurial compounds taken in therapeutic or excessive dosages may cause tubular necrosis, proteinuria, or the nephrotic syndrome. This syndrome has been associated with mercurial diuretics1-4; mercurous chloride in calomel-containing powders5,6; the mercury salt of fulminic acid7; vapor from paint additives containing mercuric chloride, mercury, and phenol mercury1; the protiodide of mercury8; and vapor in the mercury industry containing mercury, mercurous chloride, mercuric chloride, mercuric oxide, and phenyl mercury acetate.9 Ammoniated mercury, an inorganic compound whose formula is HgNH2CL, has been implicated in the production of proteinuria10-12and the nephrotic syndrome1,13 14(Table 1). Following is a report of a case of nephrotic syndrome associated with use of ammoniated mercury. Report of a Case A 24-year-old white man, a bank cashier from