, sometimes referred to as , is a
neurological syndrome caused by severe
mercury poisoning. Symptoms include
ataxia,
numbness in the hands and feet, general
muscle weakness,
loss of peripheral vision, and damage to
hearing and
speech. In extreme cases,
insanity,
paralysis,
coma, and
death follow within weeks of the onset of symptoms. A
congenital form of the disease can also affect
fetuses in the womb.