A Case of Fatal Endrin Poisoning

Abstract

1 Ingestion of 12 g of endrin by a 49-year-old man caused convulsions persisting for 4 days, hypersalivation, hyperthermia, renal insufficiency, thrombocytopenia and recurrent hypotension. Death followed after 11 days, due to pulmonary complications (infection and haemorrhage) and hypoxaemia causing bradycardia and cardiac arrest. 2 Endrin and dieldrin concentrations in blood 4 hours, 6 and 11 days after ingestion were respectively 450, 86 and 71 μg/l for endrin and 60, 19 and 19 μg/l for dieldrin. Dieldrin was also present, possibly because the endrin preparation contained traces of dieldrin. 3 Endrin concentrations 11 days after ingestion were 0.071 mg/l in blood, in adipose tissue 89.5 mg/kg, in the heart 0.87 mg/kg, in the brain 0.89 mg/kg, in the kidneys 0.55 mg/kg and in the liver 1.32 mg/kg.