[Dichloroethane poisoning with myoclonic syndrome, seizures and irreversible cerebral defects (author's transl)].

A 48-year-old man, who took by mistake a sip of ointment containing dichloroethane, survived, and showed a course of two phases of toxic symptoms. After an initial narcosis and an interval with few pathological symptoms seizures, myoclonia and somnolence occurred. Irreversible final disturbances were lasting mental defects, cerebellar dysarthria, ataxia, and hydrocephalus. Concomitant diseases were acute liver dystrophy, nephropathy, and anemia. The clinical picture of dichoroethane posoning is outlines, the pathogenesis of this particular cerebral lesion described, and the therapy discussed.