I remember kids in school (6th grade I think) pressing mercury into pocket
change with their fingers. It would make coins real shiny, temporarily
atleast. Even back then I thought maybe that it wasn't a good idea to touch
it. When was it decided that mercury was poisonous? Didn't teachers know
then (1964?)
I don't think it was considered dangerous in small quantities and if you
didn't consume/inhale it. We also used to taste a chemical in HS Biology
classes to determine whether we were genetically a sour or bitter
taster. Now that chemical is considered a carcinogen.
John Hermanson
>
>I found a reference to it being known as a poison since the 1500's at least.
>--
>Be Seeing You.
>Dirk Wright
>
The Mad Hatter in the Tea party - Alice in Wonderland - was mad, I think,
because hatters used mercury and it caused brain damage. That takes it back
to the mid-1800's. People used mercury mouthwashes in attempts to cure
venereal disease (the pox) back to Elizabethan times - they did notice that
their teeth fell out!
AndrewF
Mecuricrome (not spelled right) was used for many years to disinfect
cuts. It has mercury in it.
Gregg
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