Introduction - Uppsala Monitoring Centre

such an enmity with blood of man.’
Hamlet, Act 1, Scene 5.
The logic of poisoning via the ear is explained by Basilio Kotsias
(Kotsias, 2002).
It has also been suggested that Shakespeare suffered from
syphilis and the resulting mercury toxicity: ‘Shakespeare’s late-life
decrease in artistic production, tremor, social withdrawal, and
alopecia were due to mercury poisoning from syphilis treatment. He
may also have had anasarca due to mercury-related membranous
nephropathy.’ (Ross, 2005).
1579 ‘Bullein’s bulwark of defence against all sickness, soreness, and
wounds that do daily assault mankind: which bulwark is kept with
Hilarius the gardener, [and] Health the physician, with the chirurgian,
to help the wounded soldiers’ ‘Gathered and practised from the most
worthy learned, both old and new: to the great comfort of mankind:
by William Bullein, Doctor of Phisick. 1562. Date: 1579’.
‘With this Quicksilver and Sal Armoniac, is made Mercury
sublimate, which must be kept in a closed vessel, adjusted in a oven,
or burnt until it come to the colour of white Sugar, which Mercury
sublimate is used of Chirurgians for to cleanse foul ulcers and sores,
and is a poison inwardly to be taken, except with all speed after the
same a vomit be taken of oil or Asarabaccha 92 . If Quicksilver be
taken inwardly, it is also perilous, and nothing better to help it, than to
drink Wormwood wine with the seed of Clary 93 boiled therein.
Marvellous things be done by means of Quicksilver as the Chemists
do know, and yet for all that we see little Gold multiplied thereby.
Thus to conclude, Quicksilver may be conveniently ministered in
ointments, to heal the Pox.’ A reference to the use of mercury for
venereal disease.
Jean Fernel d’Amiens (1497–1558), Chief Physician to Henri II, in ‘Le
meilleur traitement du mal vénérien’ [The best treatment for Syphilis]
published 1579, maintained that all the late symptoms of syphilis
were due to mercurial poisoning (Abraham, 1948). He also attacked
the use of mercury, not because it was ineffective, but because of its
empirical nature. He favoured guiacum for the treatment of syphilis
(Sherrington, 1946). He said ‘beaucoup de malades aiment mieux
mourir du Mal que de chercher la guérison dans un traitement si
92 Asarabacca =Asarum European = Hazelwort or wildnut
93 Clary =Salvia sclarea