Mineral seal oil excreted in urine--a case report

There is a paucity of reported cases demonstrating the gastrointestinal absorption and renal excretion of mineral seal oil, a petroleum distillate. In 1972, a teenager attempted suicide by purposely ingesting an entire 8 oz bottle of furniture polish containing 99% mineral seal oil. She arrived in the ER two hours post-ingestion and was lavaged with two liters of normal saline, given 2 oz of mineral oil and 20 ml of 50% magnesium sulfate per gavage. The stomach contents were yellow, thick, oily and smelled like the furniture polish. She was admitted for psychiatric evaluation and observation for the ingestion. The patient did not suffer any respiratory or CNS complications. However, she excreted oil droplets which coalesced to form an oil layer in her urine. She suffered no kidney damage or abnormality as could be detected by routine renal function studies.