[Renal failure caused by mercury and lead poisoning in the calf (author's transl)].

The renal lesions in three calves with mercury poisoning (phenylmercuric acetate) and two calves with lead poisoning are described. In addition of slight tubular degeneration, glomerulonephritis occurred in the animals with mercury poisoning. Moreover, uraemia, oedema and haemorrhages were present. Lesions of the brain not were found. In the animals with lead poisoning, chronic renal tubular changes and characteristic intranuclear inclusion bodies in the proximal tubular cells were observed. The juxtamedullary glomeruli showed proliferative mesangial lesions. In one calf, the cerebral cortex showed oedema, necrosis of neurons and an increase in glial cells.