#17 - Strange Facts about Mercury

 Modern Periodic Table by moderngenes on Etsy

Today we know that mercury is poisonous. I work in a lab and we had to surrender our mercury thermometers several years ago in exchange for alcohol based thermometers. In 2002, the U.S. Senate passed legislation to phase out the manufacturing of mercury-based thermometers. Household thermometers are no longer made with mercury.

Yesterday while reading on the elliptical at the gym, I learned that mercury was once used to heal skin sores! Doctors would put mercury on the sore as a treatment. A book I was reading (Manufacturing Depression: The Secret History of a Modern Disease by Gary Greenberg) was giving a brief history of some medical developments and among them was the fact that mercury was used to help heal sores from syphilis! Patients with sores were treated by coating their underwear with mercury as well as putting mercury directly on the sores.

In some countries, a mercury compound called Mercurochrome is still used to treat minor skin cuts and scrapes.

Even today, mercury is still used in dental fillings. I knew this but had forgotten. It makes me worry about my dental fillings. Eeek!

Mercury is still used in many mascaras!! I had no idea I could be putting mercury on my eyelashes! Note to self...check into this!! In 2008, Minnesota became the first state to ban intentional use of mercury in cosmetics. The U.S. federal government has not yet followed suit to ban mercury use in cosmetics. 

So to my amazement, even though we aren't putting mercury directly on ourselves to treat skin conditions and disease, we're still using mercury in products that touch our skin or go in our mouths! :(