Mercury is a very poisonous chemical element. You can get poisoned by its vapors in everyday life and at the enterprise. At home, you can get poisoned with mercury by breaking an ordinary mercury thermometer, mercury lamps or a barometer. In this case, the poisonous liquid metal spreads over the surface in small shiny balls and immediately begins to evaporate.
You can get mercury poisoning at enterprises if mercury pumps and pressure gauges are damaged. Chronic poisoning can occur when mercury vapor is inhaled in a poorly ventilated area, or if mercury is ingested through food. Mercury accumulates in the human body and is practically not excreted from it. Mercury poisoning can be chronic or acute.
Quite often, the danger of poisoning arises from negligence. It's a broken thermometer. Worst of all, if this was not immediately noticed, or not all of the leaked substance was collected. Having noticed the first signs of mercury poisoning, it is urgently necessary toSeek medical attention.
Poisonous fumes when the metal evaporates begin their detrimental effect on the body. There are signs of mercury poisoning: severe headache, weakness, swelling of the gums and their bleeding, increased salivation. Perhaps a sharp increase in temperature up to 40 degrees, chills, cough, shortness of breath.
Gradually the concentration of toxic substances increases, signs of poisoning
become more and more obvious. And if at first I was worried about a not very strong headache, lethargy - symptoms that can be attributed to many diseases, then after a while obvious signs of mercury poisoning, which were mentioned earlier, begin to appear.
Most likely, each of these symptoms individually will not indicate mercury poisoning, but together they should make a he alth care provider carefully consider this option, especially if the sudden deterioration in he alth is not explained by other reasons.
Chronic intoxication with mercury vapor is called mercurialism. This is primarily a serious damage to the nervous system. In the initial, functional stage of poisoning, neurological disorders are diagnosed - irritability, insomnia or dreams interrupted by nightmares.
Possible manifestations of tachycardia, excessive sweating, enlargement of the thyroid gland. If mercury intoxication continues, the process can move to the next stage - psycho-organic.
The trembling of the fingers and toes appears, and then the whole body. The gait is disturbed, speech becomes illegible, handwriting may change. Signs of mercury poisoning should be a serious reason to call an ambulance. Before the arrival of the doctors, the victim must be given milk to drink, then artificially induce vomiting.
The consequences of mercury poisoning are very dangerous for a person, but you should not rely on your own knowledge in this matter, the victim needs qualified medical care and constant monitoring of his condition.
