[Criminal contamination by metallic mercury of cow's silage]

This paper presents an unsuccessful homicidal attempt on 23 persons by means of metallic mercury added in large amount to cow's silage. Thirteen adults and twelve children used milk from these cows for 4.5 months. The mercury concentration in the milk of these cows as well as in serum and daily urine of consumers of the milk were examined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Despite the increased level of mercury in the milk (average 0.023 mg/kg), the concentrations of mercury in daily urine of only three persons were raised about 50%. These people had been working in a cowshed without ventilation every day for many months and thus had been exposed to vaporised mercury.