Haematological findings in the rat following administration of nephrotoxic doses of mercuric chloride.

Single oral administration of a toxic dose of mercuric chloride (2.0 mg/kg) resulted in moderate reticulocytopenia and stress reaction in the white blood picture. A slight decrease in marrow cellularity followed the administration of 0.5 or 2.0 mg/kg. Repeated administration led to an elevated reticulocyte count and leukocytic stress reaction. An increase in marrow E: M ratio, proportion of erythroid nucleated cells in both femoral marrow and spleen was also found. The elevation of doses and prolongation of the time of treatment did not lead to a deterioration of marrow morphology; a diminution of the haemotoxicity for the rat marrow was revealed in the present experiments too.