Description
It was developed as an experimental antidote against the arsenic-based poison gas Lewisite. It has been used clinically since 1949 in arsenic, cadmium and mercury poisoning. In addition, it has in the past been used for the treatment of Wilson's disease, a genetic disorder in which the body tends to retain copper. Dimercaprol has toxic potential, and its use may be followed by a variety of adverse effects.