Arsenic Poisoning in Childhood. An Unusual Case Report with Special Notes on Therapy with Penicillamine

An unusual care of arsenic ingestion involving five children is reported, which involved the process of sublimation. As2O3 was inadvertently heated in a charcoal barbecue, and the meat cooked thereon was contaminated. It is possible that the sublimation may have potentiated the toxicity of the usually mildly toxic, relatively unsoluble As2O3. Penicillamine was used in the latter part of the therapy in three cases after initial dimercaprol, and the clinical effect of penicillamine was particularly dramatic in one case in which dimercaprol discontinuation had been accompanied by recurrent symptoms. Remarks on the mode of action of penicillamine are made. More work needs to be done to establish the possible role of penicillamine in arsenic poisoning.