Signs and Symptoms of Thallium Poisoning

Symptoms result from inhalation, ingestion, or skin absorption (Bank 1980). The numerous possible symptoms include a classical presentation consisting of gastrointestinal distress followed by sensory changes in the distal limbs and dramatic scalp hair loss (Schaumburg and Berger 1992). The hair loss does not always occur but can involve the eyebrows, lashes, beard, axillae, trunk, and extremities (Prick et al. 1955). Poisoning presents with acute symptoms followed by death in 1-2 days or can be subacute or chronic with 

Hemorrhagic gastroenteritis, pain, rhinorrhea/ conjunctivitis, fever, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, delirium, convulsions, death 

Polyneuritis, tremors, paresthesias of hands and feet, retrobulbar neuritis, painful extremities, cranial nerve palsies, optic neuropathy, flaccid paralysis, choreiform movements, myoclonic movements of head and extremities, sensory neuropathy, ascending weakness, optic neuritis and blindness, abnormal reflexes, Babinski s reflex, residual weakness, visual problems Skin eruptions, hepatorenal injury, bone marrow depression, alopecia, hypertension, achlorhydria, stomatitis, excessive salivation, gingival discoloration, tachycardia, arrhythmias, weakness 

---