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appetite, nausea, weakness, and muscle tremors. Brief exposures to very high levels of mercuryvapors can affect the lungs. Severe mercury poisoning can permancutiY damage the nervous system. Such damage may be accompanied by hallucinations, whole-body tremors, a tingling "pins and needles" sensation, pain, tenderness, numbness, and weakness An interesting note is the past use of mercury in felt production. Felt hat manufacturers suffered from many symptoma of high=level mercury exposure, as wit- nessed in the Mad Hatter character in Alice in Wonder- land, and the popular phrase "mad as a hatter." Kidney. Long-term overexposure to mercury can injure the kidneys. In most cases, this damage is reversible and kidney function will gradually recover once exposure is stopped. No obvious symptoms are associated with kid- ney damage, unless the injury is severe. Special urine tests are used to detest this kidney damage (see "Tests for Exposure and Medical Effects")_ Generallyyou will not have kidney damage if you do not have other symp- toms of chronic mercury overexposure. Lungs: Inhalation of very high level of merwryvapors can affect the lungs causing coughing chest tighmess and pain, difficulty in breathing, and pulmonary edema (fluid in the lungs). Fever, chills, nausea, and vomiting may also occur. If you develop these symptoms after an exposure to mercury, see your physician immediately. Eyes, Nose, and Throat; Long-term mercury overexpo- sure can cause increased salivation and inflammation of the mouth and gums. Repeated exposure to mercury vapors may also discolor the lenses of your eyes. This dis- coloration (usually brown) is a sign of mercury overexpo- sure. It can occur with or without other symptoms of overexposure. Skin: Prolonged skin contact with liquid mercury can irritate the skin and cause a rash that allows increased absorption through the skin. Cancer: There is little reason to think that mercury could rause cancer, although that possibility has not been studied. Reproductive System: The effects of metallic mercury oa pregnancy and reproduction have not been studied thoroughly. When metallic mercury vapor is absorbed into your body, some of it is changed into another form, inorganic mercury. In limited studies, exposure of preg- n int animal to moderate levels of either metallic or in- organic mercury caused growth retardation, birth defects, and death of the fetus or of the offspring shortly cher birth. in another study, exposure of male animal to inorganic mercury reduced their fertility. It u not known whether mercury causes similar effects in humans, but, based on the animal studio you should handle it as a potential human reproductive toxin and =i= nyour exposure (see "Reducing Your Expo- sure"). Nursing women should also avoid exposure to mercury, since inhaled mercury can enter a woman's breast milk. TESTS FOR EXPOSURE AND MEDICAL EFFECTS The amount of mercury in your body can be estimated by measuringmercury inurine orblood. Urine analyses are best for acing long-term exposures Blood tests are useful for assessing recent high-level exposures, if the test is done immediately after exposure. Tests for mercury exposure should be selected and evaluated on a case-by- oase basis by medical personnel who are familiar with these tests Other medical tests may be needed, as deter- mined by a physician. For example, follow-up of neurological and kidney function may be appropriate for employees with long-term exposures. More details on these tests are available through HESIS. LEGAL EXPOSURE LIMITS . California's Division of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH or "Cal OSHA") makes and enforces regula- tions for chemical exposure in the workplace. Cal/OSHA has adopted two kinds of legal limits for the amount of mercury in your breathing zone. The first is a Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) of 0A5 m of mercury per cubic meter of air (0.05 in u an a>,nnge level over eight hours This means that you MAY be exposed to a level greater tha0A5 mg/m3 durin ng part of the work day, as long as you are exposed to lar than 0.)5 mg/m3 at other times, so that Your avvv8e exposure