STUDIES ON TOLERANCE AND IONIC ANTAGONISM FOR CADMIUM OR MERCURY

Abstract

In the rat the parenteral administration of cadmium chloride induces selective hemorrhagic lesions in sensory ganglia; these heal within 15 days, after which time the animals become tolerant to a second injection of the compound. Ganglionic lesions caused by cadmium chloride are also inhibited by pretreatment with cobaltous chloride; the inhibition is maximal when the prophylactic agent is administered 17 hours before cadmium chloride. Cobaltous chloride also protects, although to a lesser extent, against the kidney lesions induced by mercuric chloride. Finally, when the animals have been protected by cobaltous chloride against a first dose of cadmium chloride, they develop ganglionic lesions following the administration 15 days later of a second dose of the latter compound.