Toxicology: practice question

A Forensic Medicine question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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Forensic Medicine · Toxicology

Sample item

A battery worker has abdominal colic, wrist drop and a bluish line on the gums. Which poison is suspected?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

C. Lead

Chronic lead poisoning produces colic, constipation, anaemia with basophilic stippling, motor neuropathy with wrist drop and the Burtonian line on the gums. Treatment is chelation.

Option by option

  • A. Thallium

    Thallium causes alopecia and painful neuropathy.

  • B. Mercury

    Mercury causes stomatitis, tremors and erethism.

  • C. Lead (correct)

    The combination of colic, wrist drop and a gingival blue line is typical of lead.

  • D. Arsenic

    Arsenic produces Mees lines, skin hyperkeratosis and sensory neuropathy.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

More Forensic Medicine questions

Questions about this Forensic Medicine question

What is the answer to this Forensic Medicine question?

The best answer is C, Lead. Chronic lead poisoning produces colic, constipation, anaemia with basophilic stippling, motor neuropathy with wrist drop and the Burtonian line on the gums.

Why is "Thallium" not the answer?

Thallium causes alopecia and painful neuropathy.

Why is "Mercury" not the answer?

Mercury causes stomatitis, tremors and erethism.

Why is "Arsenic" not the answer?

Arsenic produces Mees lines, skin hyperkeratosis and sensory neuropathy.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Toxicology in Forensic Medicine. Treatment is chelation.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Toxicology?

Learn postmortem changes with their timelines, and toxicology as poison, sign, test and antidote. Then use the flashcards and the other Forensic Medicine questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.