Page 20 - Summer2008

Calomel, We have all heard about the deleterious my! If you would like to research this history,

meaning effects of mercury and how it is one of the most however, do not turn to your local MDs, as they
will probably not be able to provide you with any
poisonous substances on earth. In fact, the World
“beautiful Health Organization has deemed mercury unsafe texts on the subject. Many of the books that you
and black” in at any level of exposure. Nevertheless, people may nd in the local library will contain patriotic

Greek, was have always been fascinated with this seem- descriptions of the great allopathic physicians
in our country who, for over one hundred years,
ingly magical substance. Mercury, also known
a derivative as quicksilver, it is the only metal that is liquid poisoned their patients with huge doses of a mer-
of mercury at room temperature, and if it spills, the little curial substance called “calomel,” believing that
that slowly globules are impossibly elusive to recover. (Note these “heroic” doses of a poisonous and powerful
metal would cure their patients of whatever ailed
that in the earth, mercury is not generally found
debilitated in pure form but rather as part of cinnabar, or them. Calomel, meaning “beautiful and black” in
and killed mercury sulde.) Greek, was a derivative of mercury, and it slowly

Like all heavy metals, mercury (Hg) in
hundreds of any form is extremely toxic to life. The Romans debilitated and killed hundreds of thousands of
Americans. Only in the late 1960s did calomel
thousands of mandated mercury mining in Almadén, Spain as quietly disappear from the U.S. Dispensatory.
Americans a form of capital punishment. Typically prisoners
3
until the died after six months to three years of labor. The THE CHEMISTRY OF CALOMEL
ancient Greeks relied on mercury to manufacture

What is calomel, and why did the doctors
advent of mirrors; to be a member of the mirror guild was believe it to be harmless, despite the sometimes
antibiotics. considered a high honor, even though most mirror fatal reactions to its administration? Chemically
masters died in their 30s, poisoned by their craft. speaking, calomel is mercurous, or mercury,
The Mad Hatter in Alice in Wonderland probably chloride (Hg Cl ) and is formed when elemental
2
2
used mercury in the felting process for his hats, mercury (Hg) and mercuric chloride (HgCl )
2
hence his skewed perception of life. Mercury is come together.
also used to extract gold and silver from ore.
Here in the Silicon Valley, a former mer- Hg + HgCl → Hg Cl (Calomel)
2
2
2
cury mine (also named Almaden, probably for
its Spanish counterpart) has become a county Mercurous chloride is photosensitive,
park, and despite assurances from various gov- meaning that when it is exposed to UV light
ernmental agencies, many local residents believe it decomposes back to elemental mercury and
the mine has permanently polluted the land and mercuric chloride, causing it to turn from white
water for miles around. to black. The concept of photosensitivity was
If people have known for millennia about not discovered until the 20th century, and one
the toxic nature of mercury, why would he use it can only surmise how UV exposure might have
as a “medicine”? affected the quality of the medicine.
It was in the 16th century that European
physicians began experimenting with metals such Hg Cl (Calomel) → Hg + HgCl (highly toxic)
2 2 2
as mercury and antimony on the sick; one can
only imagine their sheer joy (or terror) at seeing Both elemental mercury and mercuric
the strong effects these metals had on the body! chloride are water soluble and known to be ex-
By the founding of the American union, most tremely poisonous. Calomel, on the other hand, is
physicians had decided that the merits of these an insoluble salt, and if you ask many physicians
powerful substances far outweighed the detri- and chemists today, they will tell you that only
mental effects, particularly when used on people innitesimal amounts of the mercury in calomel

who were already ill. However, this observation are absorbed. Theoretically, it should simply
is far from correct. pass through the intestines and be eliminated in
The history of medicine in the United feces. It is much less toxic than other soluble,
States of America is full of drama t for a soap organic compounds of mercury, such as methyl

opera—purgings and bleedings and outrage, oh mercury, responsible for Minamata Disease in
18 Wise Traditions SUMMER 2008