A case of lead poisoning is presented and recent litures are reviewed. A 47-year old male had been admitted to Ewha Womans University Hospital in March 1983 with chief complaints of abdominal colic & distention, nausea and tingling sensation of lower extremities after ingestion of herb pills(HAE GU SIN). Laboratory examinations are as follows; anemia with hypocromic, microcytic, basophilic stippling of erythrocytes in peripheral blood and bone marrow. Blood level of lead was 34.6mcg/dl, urine level of lead was 128.4mcg/L, coproporphyrine and ▵-ALA in 24hours urine were 270.8mcg/L, 19.9mg/L respectively. After treatment with BAL for 1 day, blood level of lead was 30.4mcg/dl, urine level of lead was 2988.6mcg/L, coproporphyrine and ▵-ALA in 24hours urine were increased to 667.2mcg/L, 5.5mg/L respectively and quantitative analysis of herb pills revealed 10% of containing lead.

We had experienced one case of amyloidosis, especially involving kidney associated with nephrotic syndrome and liver who was admitted to Ewha University Hospital due to abdominal distension and extremities edema.

Diagnozis was made characteristic clinical and histopathologic finding with crystal violet and congo red staining produced green birefringence under polarized light.

We sdiscussed this case with review of literatures.