Studies on Acute Iron Poisoning

The widespread use of hematinics has increased the hazard of iron poisoning of infants and children. The symptoms are similar in humans and in some animal species, thus making it possible to duplicate the events of accidental poisoning in the laboratory and to evaluate antidotal procedures.

Materials and Methods  Twelve mongrel dogs in good health were used. The animals were maintained on a standard diet but were fasted for 24 hours before experimentation. To avoid vomiting and to simulate the delay in treatment that might be expected in poisoned children, solutions of ferrous sulfate were introduced directly into the jejunum of the dogs by syringe and needle after a midline exposure of the abdominal cavity. In this way the dose of iron was known with certainty.The experiments were performed under light pentobarbital anesthesia (30 mg/kg. intravenously). In some instances small supplementary doses were necessary. In each dog an endotracheal