Elemental mercury, a silver-white metal, is also known
‘quicksilver’ or ‘hydrargyrum.’ Mercury has been discovered in
Egyptian tombs dating as far back as 1500 BC. The chemical
symbol, Hg, is derived from the Greek word hydrargyros,
meaning ‘water silver.’ Mercury was known in antiquity and
used by alchemists. Its neurological effects were recognized
early, and its use in the hat-making trade gave rise to the phrase
‘mad as a hatter.’ Mercury has been used commercially and
medically for centuries. In the past it was a common constituent
of many medications, for example, it was used in the
treatment of syphilis. Use of mercury has been drastically
reduced in recent years. Within the twentieth century, mercury
used to be in every physician’s or pharmacist’s armamentarium,
for example, calomel was commonly used in infant
teething powders in the 1930s and 1940s.
