13Mar 2018 by Vincent Summers 2 Comments

Dangerous Medicine Including Foot Fluoroscope (X-ray) Machines

History, Medicine
[caption id="attachment_19620" align="alignright" width="440"] Operator / observer side Adrian Special fluoroscope[/caption] Medicine has always sought to cure sufferers of what ails them. In the physician's valiant efforts, sometimes, not only success failed to be achieved, but the sufferer was worse off. In the Bible book bearing his name, Mark relates one well-known ancient example: "Now there was a woman subject to a flow of blood twelve years, and she had been put to many pains by many physicians and had spent all her resources and had not been benefited but, rather, had got worse." -Mark 5:25, 26. Again, mercury and other hazardous substances were sometimes used in the formulation of medications. In fact, the body of one famous individual with a violent disposition was exhumed to determine if there was…
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19Mar 2014 by Vincent Summers 1 Comment

Does Iron Float in Mercury?

Physics
[caption id="attachment_5886" align="alignright" width="440"] Weather Float[/caption] Both substances are heavy and mercury is a liquid, so what do you say? Does iron float in mercury? Mercury is a liquid; some objects should float in it. There are two factors that must be taken into consideration in order to answer the question, Does Iron Float in Mercury? Those two factors are the density of the material under consideration and its geometry. Our focus for this discussion will center on a block of solid iron, 4 cm x 4 cm x 4 cm. Density – the Numbers A material floats if it possesses a lower density. Iron’s density is 7.9 g/cm³ (grams per cubic centimeter). Mercury’s density is 13.5 g/cm³. The iron presses on the mercury, but because it is lighter, it…
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11Jun 2012 by Vincent Summers 6 Comments

Mad Hatters, Felt, and Mercury

Chemistry, History
[caption id="attachment_2497" align="alignright" width="440"] Harry S. Truman Felt Fedora Hat - Image: National Park Service[/caption] Associated with the hat making business, how do felt and mercury produce mad hatters? Felt hats have been produced from small animal pelts since about the 14th century. During the 19th century, fur was removed from the skin using camel urine. Some hatters used their own urine, instead. The active ingredient in urine was nitrogen-rich urea. Why Urine? Those who used their own urine and were being treated for syphillis produced superior felt! This was due to the mercurous chloride (HgCl) they'd taken as medicine. Urine was replaced by orange-colored mercuric nitrate Hg(NO₃)₂. [caption id="attachment_19437" align="alignright" width="240"] Tertiary syphilis. A horrible disease, generally avoidable.[/caption] Mad Hatters The vats of solution and the drying process generated…
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08Jun 2012 by Vincent Summers No Comments

Thimerosal in Vaccines? What is it?

Health
When you go to the doctor for a flu shot, you may be asked to sign a waiver or release form. It indicates you no known negative responses to the presence of thimerosal. Perhaps you've never heard of this before? Well, perhaps you have under a different name. Many years ago it was called Merthiolate. Properties Thimerosal is an antiseptic, antifungal compound. It is used as a preservative. It is also known as thiomersal. The prefix “thio” refers to the presence of sulfur. Thimerosal also contains an atom of mercury. Structure Its structure is seen in the image associated with this article. The S atom is sulfur, the Hg is hydrargyrum (mercury). The ring is a benzene ring, and the line segment to the right of the mercury atom is…
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