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“The methods of the quality control of medical biological preparations, including tests on animals, do not ensure the complete absence of toxicity in a final product. The use of the method of ‘subcultures with the introduced preparation’ makes it possible to determine the toxicity of both specific and nonspecific components of vaccines and sera from the number of dead and damaged cells. The toxic action of preparations kills and damages the cells at the site of injection, thus inducing the formation of autoantigens whose effect on the body cannot be predicted. Thus thimerosal, commonly used as preservative, has been found not only to render its primary toxic effect, but also capable of changing the properties of cells. This fact suggests that the use of thimerosal for the preservation of medical biological preparations, especially those intended for children, is inadmissible.”

“Yet the kidneys receive one fourth of the circulating blood supply and have the ability to accumulate circulating substances to concentrations far exceeding those found elsewhere in the body.
This propensity to accumulate metals and other toxicants contributes to the unusual sensitivity of the kidneys to toxic agents. The high concentrations of nephrotoxins achieved within the kidneys also provide an opportunity for their detection by nuclear analytic techniques both in vivo and in vitro.”

“Amalgam has, ever since its introduction 150 years ago, been the subject of recurrent controversies because of its mercury content. Amalgam is an unstable alloy and continuously gives off mercury (Hg) in the form of gas, ions and abraded particles (Stock, 1939 a, Radics et al., 1970, Mocke, 1971, Till and Wagner, 1973, Svare et al., 1981). Amalgam contains an especially cor-rodible gamma-2-phase of tin and mercury. There is also a small phase of fluid mercury with dissolved tin (Brecht-Bergen, 1933). Tin dissolves continuously in surrounding fluids and also forms weakly soluble but not insoluble compounds which are easily abraded in vivo. When tin (also zinc and copper if present) dissolves, mercury is set free  and will evaporate and ionize. The Hg vapor pressure over silver amalgam amounts to 10-25  percent of that over pure mercury; at a Hg  content of 54 percent in the amalgam the vapor  pressure is 25 percent (Brecht-Bergen, 1933).  The actual rate of evaporation depends on the  air movement over the fillings (Stock, 1939 a).”

“Slow, retrograde seepage of ionic mercury from root canal or Class V amalgam fillings inserted many years previously, recurrent caries and corrosion around filling edges, and the oxidizing effect of the purulent response may lead to multiple sclerosis in middle age. Epidemiologic studies of MS consistently reveal more neurological disease in the north, inferentially because there may be less caries and therefore fewer fillings done in the south. Clinical and epidemiologic data also suggest that a second heavy metal, lead, may operate almost interchangeably with mercury. Possibly, cases of unilateral MS derive from mercury-amalgam fillings in ipsolateral teeth, whereas the generalized disease may result from ingestion or inhalation of volatile mercury or exhaust fumes of lead additives to gasoline. The forensic and preventive-medical challenge is to identify, monitor, and resolve questions of hidden heavy metal hazards in a high technology society, especially those of lead and mercury. Further clinical-epidemiologic and basic science studies of heavy metal assays in whole blood, CNS tissues, packed cells, and serum are warranted. Prevention awaits further testing of the hypothesis and experience with substitute filling materials.”

“Exposure of the neonate to toxic metals occurs because of their presence in foods and the human biosphere. Nursing infants may ingest these metals in mother’s milk. After weaning, their presence in formula, cow’s milk and weanling foods is of major importance. Additional environmental metal contaminant sources become important when the infants begin to creep on the floor and have access to objects which they can chew or mouth. Infants are at particular hazard when their environment is contaminated by vapors, by metal-containing dust and particulate fallout or entrainment on articles brought into the home, or by building materials, such as plaster or lead-containing paints.”

“This report is a critical evaluation of the use of dental amalgam with special consideration of the possibility of chronic mercury poisoning. The description of psychic and somatic symptoms associated with corrosion of amalgam might help people with similar symptoms to recognize the possible source of their problems. Medical practitioners need to recognize the characteristic manifestations of mercury poisoning and it is also my hope that this report might help dentists to a better understanding of the hazards of amalgam and combinations of metals.”

“The capacity of the oral bacteria Streptococcus mitior, S. mutans and S. sanguis to methylate mercury was investigated in vitro. Mercuric chloride and pulverized dental amalgam in distilled water, respectively, were used as sources of mercury. Methylmercury was found in the bacterial cells of all three tested strains. The results indicate that organic mercury compounds may be formed in the oral cavity.”

“29 patients with oral lichen planus and amalgam fillings were patch tested for contact allergy to dental materials. 18 of these patients (62%) had a contact allergy to mercury. In a control material, the frequency of mercury allergy was 3.2%. In 3 of the patients the lesions healed completely after removal of the amalgam fillings. On the basis of these findings it is recommended that all amalgam fillings be removed after a positive patch test to mercury, as a step in the treatment of oral lichen planus.”

“Fifty-seven prenatal patients with no known exposure to the element mercury, or any of its compounds, were observed for change in whole blood total mercury concentration from the initial prenatal clinic examination through delivery and postpartum hospitalization. On hospital admission for labor and delivery, whole blood total mercury averaged 1.15 parts per billion (ppb), compared to 0.79 ppb from the first prenatal clinic visit; these levels represent a 46% increase and significant difference in maternal concentration of a substance previously recognized for its peculiar ease at crossing the placental barrier. Previous stillbirths, as well as history of birth defects, exhibited significant positive correlation with background mercury levels. Search of the literature of the last 5 years revealed no other report of cohort heavy metal surveillance throughout pregnancy.”

“In a study of the relation between cumulative exposure to mercury and chronic health impairment 298 dentists had their mercury levels measured by an X-ray fluorescence technique. Electrodiagnostic and neuropsychological findings in the dentists with more than 20 micrograms/g tissue mercury levels were compared with those of a control group consisting of dentists with no detectable mercury levels. 30% of the 23 high mercury dentists had polyneuropathies. No polyneuropathies were detected in the control group. The high mercury group had mild visuographic dysfunction; they also had more symptom-distress than did the control group. These findings suggest that the use of mercury as a restorative material is a health risk for dentists.”