Subacute myelo-optic neuropathy

Subacute myelo-optic neuropathy (SMON) is a nervous disease (neuropathy) that affects peripheral nerves and the spinal cord (myelo-) as well as the eyes (-optic), leading to a disabling paralysis, blindness and even death. An epidemic of SMON, blamed on the neurotoxic effect of large doses of clioquinol, occurred in Japan during the 1960s, affecting over 10,000 people.

References

• Article about SMON published in the New Internationalist