Article Text
Abstract
Seven men were accidentally exposed to the fume of antimony trichloride. Their symptoms included not only the well-recognized upper respiratory irritation from hydrochloric acid but, in five of the men, an additional, slightly delayed onset of gastro-intestinal disturbance including abdominal pain and persistent anorexia. Urine antimony estimations revealed a concentration in excess of 1 mg./litre in these five men. Environmental measurements suggest that they were briefly exposed to air containing up to 146 mg. hydrochloric acid and 73 mg. antimony per m.3 expressed as the metal. These findings are compared with other reports on chronic antimony intoxication. No report could be found in recent literature about acute intoxication from antimony trichloride.