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arsenic poisoning
poisoning due to systemic exposure to inorganic pentavalent arsenic. Arsenic is cumulative, storing permanently in hair, nails,
and bone, and children are particularly susceptible. It is odorless and flavorless and has been found in elevated levels in
the drinking water that flows through arsenic-rich rocks, leading to serious health problems in some countries. The antidote
for arsenic poisoning is dimercaprol. Acute arsenic poisoning, which may result in shock and death, is marked by skin eruptions, swelling of eyelids and limbs, vomiting, diarrhea, and
cramps. Chronic arsenic poisoning (called also arsenicosis or arsenism), due to ingestion of small amounts over a long period of time, is marked by skin pigmentation with scaling, keratosis of
the palms and soles, white lines on the fingernails, peripheral neuropathy, and confusion.
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