mad hatter disease

English

Etymology

"During the 18th to 20th centuries, hat makers used mercury to stiffen felt for hats. They used a type of mercury called mercuric nitrate and worked in poorly ventilated rooms. Over time, the hatters inhaled mercury vapors. Many developed symptoms of chronic mercury poisoning, including psychosis, excitability, and tremors. These symptoms became so common in hatters that the phrase “mad as a hatter” was born."[1]

Noun

mad hatter disease (uncountable)

  1. erethism (neurological disorder from mercury poisoning)

References
  1. Nunez, Kristen (2021 May 19) “What Is Mad Hatter Disease (Erethium)?”, in Healthline‎
This article is issued from Wiktionary. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.