Introduction - Uppsala Monitoring Centre

‘maketh man mad and foolish’ could come under the heading of ‘mad’ or ‘ troubles’
in reason’. Douce, meanwhile, wrote of the ability of the plant to send people mad:
‘Henbane, called insana, mad, for the use thereof is perillous, for it if be eate or
dronke, it breedeth madness, or slowe lykenss of sleepe.’ (Thiselton-Dyer, 1994)
Some of the now known AE could not have been discovered before 1700, as the
necessary instruments had not been invented: the mercury thermometer in 1709, an
easily used sphygmomanometer in 1896. It is more difficult to understand why ‘dry
mouth’, and ‘headache’ were not documented prior to 1898 and 1804 respectively.
Without knowing the frequency of a specific adverse event it is not possible to
appreciate why an AE was not reported earlier.
Alexander quotes cases of oedema of the uvula and glottis due to scopolamine
(Alexander, 1955).
Chapter 11. Mercury
he analysis of mercury ADRs is complicated by the large number of variations
T
in chemicals, methods of treatment, combinations of drugs used, doses,
duration of treatment, diseases treated, mixtures used, prescribers,
formulations and excipients used. In the following table these have been all
merged together.
Inorganic compounds:
Quicksilver (Hg) also as Blue Pill (Pilula Hydrargyri), Mercurial plaster
(Emplastrum Hydragyri) = Hg + sublimed S + lead plaster, Grey Powder = Hg +
prepared Chalk, Mercury Ointment (Ung 173 . `Hydragyri) = Hg, Compound Mercury
Ointment (Ung. Hydrargyri Compositum) = Ung. Hydrargyri + Yellow bee’s wax +
Camphor + Olive oil.
Corrosive sublimate (Liquor Hydrargyri Perchloridum–HgCl 2 ) also given as a
subcutaneous injection.
Calomel (Hydrargyri Subchloridum–HgCl), also as Calomel Ointment and
Plummer’s Pill)
Red Precipitate (Hydrargyri Oxidum Rubrum–HgO), also as ointment
White Precipitate (Ammoniated Mercury (Ung. Hydrargyri Ammoniati = HgCl 2 +
solution of ammonia)
Yellow Precipitate (Hydrargyri Oxidum Flavum–HgO, also as ointment - Oleated
Mercury = Yellow mercuric oxide + Oleic acid)
Green Precipitate. This may be mercurous iodide Hg 2 I 2 since it turns from yellow
to green over time.
Cinnabar (HgS) Used as fumigation in a hot cabinet.
173 Ung = unguentum = ointment