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Anthropology

Warpy

(113,131 posts)

21. Anyone who worked with mercury back in the bad old days ran into trouble

Reply to Brother Buzz (Reply #20)

Tue Sep 26, 2017, 01:37 PM

Sep 2017

which is where "mad as a hatter" came from, mercury was used heavily in the manufacture of hats for men.

They also used mercury to try to treat the lesions of syphilis, which is why we know Henry VIII didn't have that one, his physicians didn't order any of it during his reign.

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Lakes of mercury and human sacrifices after 1,800 years, Teotihuacan reveals its treasures [View all] nitpicker Sep 2017 OP

Amazing find. Always wonder what it would have been like to live during democratisphere Sep 2017 #1

I wonder that too. BlancheSplanchnik Sep 2017 #24

Kick Cracklin Charlie Sep 2017 #2

Fascinating trusty elf Sep 2017 #3

Travelled to Chiapis last May to see Mayan ruins - it is a fascinating history. SharonClark Sep 2017 #4

I hope... KY_EnviroGuy Sep 2017 #5

I'm fascinated by this. raven mad Sep 2017 #6

Lakes of mercury? bucolic_frolic Sep 2017 #7

Very, very slowly at room, or in this case, cave temperature. Brother Buzz Sep 2017 #13

Yeah, ok, but bucolic_frolic Sep 2017 #14

It's sloughed off at the atomic level, but for all intents and purposes it doesn't evaporate Brother Buzz Sep 2017 #15

Mercury would be dangerous to humans FakeNoose Sep 2017 #25

Mercury is used in barometers and vacuum gauges ... its vapor pressure is *very* low. eppur_se_muova Sep 2017 #16

Not really, not in a cool environment Warpy Sep 2017 #19

The people who operated the retort to extract the mercury likely died toothless and crazy. Brother Buzz Sep 2017 #20

Anyone who worked with mercury back in the bad old days ran into trouble Warpy Sep 2017 #21

Ah, that hat making process involved heat and produced the dangerous gas Brother Buzz Sep 2017 #22

I worked in a state mental asylum in the 60s Warpy Sep 2017 #23

Oh how incredible! MuseRider Sep 2017 #8

hope the earthquakes dont damage it samnsara Sep 2017 #9

My family made several vacation trips to Mexico in the 60s. Grammy23 Sep 2017 #10

Just like in China. parkia00 Sep 2017 #11

I was struck by that as well. eppur_se_muova Sep 2017 #17

Visted that area almost 30 years ago BumRushDaShow Sep 2017 #12

They pretty much do know how and why it was abandoned Warpy Sep 2017 #18