Introduction - Uppsala Monitoring Centre

George Key wrote ‘A dissertation on the effects of mercury on
human bodies, in the cure of the venereal disease’ and gave the
following as its adverse effects: ‘purging, swelling chaps 138 , indurated
glands, aching and painful, teeth loose, intumescence 139 of the
tongue, head and face swelling to a monstrous size, violent
convulsions, dysenteries, contortions of the bowels, jaws oft-times so
firmly locked up through contractions of their muscles, destroy the
bones of the nose, and sometimes those of the palate.’ (Key, 1747).
It would seem in the last two instances that he is mistaking the
results of syphilis with those of mercury.
Dr John Stedman, late Surgeon-Major to the regiment of the Royal
Grey Dragoons in a letter to Dr John Pringle in whilst in Dutch
Brabant.
White Henbane: ‘Five men and two women of the regiment took,
in error, a brew of leaves of this plant (Hyoscyamus albus):
giddiness, staggered as if drunk, incoherent, high delirium, low
irregular pulse, slavered, frequently changed colour, eyes looked
fiery, legs powerless. One of the women had hands stiff and swelled.’
A Mr William Watson commented that it must have been
Hyoscyamus niger (Pringle, 1751).
Many non-medical people wrote medical guides or tracts for the lay
public that couldn’t afford proper medical care. A good example was
John Wesley who wrote, in addition to his religious works, ‘Primitive
Physick’. He read widely contemporary medical literature and
consulted an apothecary and a physician before starting to write.
‘It is, because they are not safe, but extremely dangerous, that I
Have omitted (together with Antimony) the four Herculean medicines,
Opium, the Bark, Steel, and most of the preparations of mercury.
Herculean Indeed! Far too strong for common men to grapple with.
How many fatal effects have these produced, even in the hands of
no ordinary Physicians? With regard to four of these, the instances
are glaring and undeniable And whereas Quicksilver, the fifth is in its
native form as innocent as bread or water.’
His favourite treatment seems to have been electricity. One of his
recipes does contain antimony: Recipe No.792. Or, after purging
take about 15 grains of ceruse of antimony (Sb 2 O 2 ) in white wine.
Some of his remedies seem quite drastic ‘Twisting of the guts. Many
138 Chaps = cheeks
139 Intumescence = swelling