Mike Coslo wrote:

Good one, JJ! 8^)

Mercury isn't very harmful by that route of exposure. You could polish
quite a few dimes if you like, and not suffer much if any damage through
skin absorption.

But!

Inhaling the fumes is another thing entirely. Mercurey poisoning has
been known about for a long time now. Daggureotypists in the early
1800's often suffered from mercury poisoning as they purposely fumed the
image plates to develop the images, producing a silver amalgam on the
surface in accordance with how much it had been exposed to light. A
beautiful but deadly process.

The feltmaking process used to use mercury as a preservative, and the
saying "mad as a hatter" was coined for a reason.

And yet we still have people today that think that caution in handling
mercury is some kind of "liberal" plot or something.

- Mike KB3EIA -

Umm, no, most people today think standing over a vat of heated murcury or
chewing on something impregnated with mercury is not a very good idea.

That doesn't mean you ignore the hazards or go screaming in terror just
because you see mercury.


--
Jim Pennino

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