Fatzer. Cases of poisoning with gold preparations (Schw. M. Woch., V. 66, 1936)

Since gold preparations began to be used to treat various diseases, especially pulmonary tuberculosis and chronic rheumatism, descriptions of very undesirable complications, sometimes even fatal, began to appear in the literature. The author gives a description of two such cases. She expresses the conviction that toxic symptoms can occur after the administration of any gold preparation and advises to strictly monitor the condition of patients undergoing gold treatment. It must be stopped at the slightest sign of intoxication. Typical agranocytosis in the Schulze sense rarely occurs after gold administration. Toxic phenomena usually cover the entire hematopoietic system. However, death can occur without abrupt changes in blood. It can be caused by liver damage, enteritis, or a pulmonary abscess. The author notes that a slow infiltrative process in the lungs with a tendency to form an abscess occurs especially often in connection with gold therapy. In some individuals, the predisposition to gold poisoning is especially pronounced.