In order to clarify the histopathological changes resulting from nitrate poisoning, rabbits were experimentally poisoned by the oral administration of KNO₃ or NaNO₂ and examined clinically and histopathologically. In addition, the quantitative changes of glycogen level in hepatic cells were histochemically observed. The results obtained were summarized as follows:
1. Clinical symptoms observed from the acute cases which died within 2 hours after the administration were severe cyanosis of visible mucosa, frequent urination, and dyspnea. However, in chronic cases administrated daily with KNO₃ for 43, 50 and 74 days respectively, no marked symptoms were observed.
2. Macroscopic changes observed in acute cases were severe methemoglobinemia, cloudy swelling of hepatic cells, hemorrhage and hyperemia of gastric mucosa, and hyperemia of other organs. In chronic cases there were marked hyperemia, dark-red coloring and increasing of consistency in liver and kidney, and swelling of spleen.
3. Microscopic changes observed in acute cases were hemorrhage and hyperemia of various organs, cloudy swelling and centrilobular necrosis of hepatic cells and necrosis of convoluted tubular epithelium in kidney. In chronic cases there were round cell infiltration of the interlobular connective tissue and epithelial proliferation of interlobular bile ducts in the liver, and necrosis of the convoluted tubular epithelium and proliferation of interstitial connective tissue in kidney, thickening of alveolar septa of lungs, activated hemopoiesis of bone marrow, and myeloid metaplasia of sqlenic pulp.
4. Glycogen storage in liver cells was decreased in acute cases, on the contrary, increased in chronic cases.
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