mercurous

Given the prevalence of diarrhea and other illnesses, the risk of infection combined with the dangerous side effects of many of the prescribed treatments (e.g., bloodletting, often toxic doses of mercurous chloride for purgation [R.

Mercury occurs in three valence states: elemental mercury (also known as metallic mercury, Hg0), mono-valent mercurous (Hg+), and the divalent mercuric (Hg++).

Hydroxyethyl cellulose (molecular weight 250,000 g [mol.sup.-1], molar degree of substitution 2.0, HEC), mercurous acetate and lead acetate were of analytical grade and were purchased from Aladdin-Reagent Company.

Inorganic mercury (often mercurous chloride) is used in some skin-lightening creams produced outside the United States because it inhibits melanin formation when absorbed by the skin (6).

Close inspection of its appearance and physical properties raised the suspicion that it was mercurous chloride (calomel).

(60) Articles in The Lancet endorsed some of these treatments and offered several other suggestions: induced sneezing to "rid the nose of infection," a combination of sodium salicylate and strychnine, inhalation of iodine in steam, intravenous injection of garlic oil dissolved in pure ether, tri-menthenal allyic carbide, and purging with castor oil or calomel (mercurous chloride) followed by bicarbonate of soda every four hours.

"Calomel" was the curious name given to mercurous chloride, [Hg.sub.2][Cl.sub.2], the most common medicine of the era.

"Calomel (mercurous chloride) appeared in every physician's bag throughout the nineteenth century, and was an active ingredient in the 'blue pills' prominent in nineteenth-century English therapeutics" (p.

Mercury also exists as a cation with an oxidation state of +1 (mercurous) or 2+ (mercuric).

The hanawaltite structure has two distinct layers; a [Hg.sup.1+]-Cl-O layer consisting of ribbons of [Hg-Hg][.sup.1+] dimers resembling the configuration in calomel structure and a [Hg.sup.2+]-[Hg.sup.1+]-Cl-O layer with alternating mercurous and mercuric oxychloride chains.

Inorganic mercury exists as mercury salts such as mercurous chloride (Calomel).

"The most likely reason for linking hat makers with madness is that hatters used a highly toxic chemical - mercurous nitrate - in the making of felt hats.