ABSTRACT
In this review we will discuss some aspects of the toxicology of the element ‘mercury (Planet Mercury)…known to ancient Chinese and Hindus; found in Egyptian tombs of 1550 BC’ (Hammond, 1970). Mercuric sulfide was indeed one of the chemicals identified in fluid preserving the body of a Han lady who died about 180 BC (Majno, 1975). Similarly, mercuric sulfide (cinnabar) was used by Celsus as an antiseptic (Majno, 1975). Names of planets were first used in the Middle Ages to define certain metals and the name ‘Mercurius’ was introduced in medieval Latin by alchemists who were probably impressed with mercury’s unusual property of quick and easy flow (hydrargyrum-quick silver) and thought it had magic properties. Through the name of the planet, this metal acquired some connection with ancient gods involved in science and other less lofty pursuits. The Egyptian Thoth, scribe of the gods and himself god of wisdom and learning, was reputed to have founded alchemy and other occult sciences (Fowden, 1993). His Greek name was Hermes Trismegistus and somehow was identified by the Greeks with their Hermes, the messenger of the gods who was also the god of science, eloquence, cunning, protector of commerce, and guide of the dead to Hades. The Etruscan Turms was derived from the Greek Hermes (Pallottino, 1984) and so was the Roman Mercurius (Mercury), who also was the messenger of the gods and the god of commerce, manual skill, eloquence, cleverness, travel, and thievery. Considering these celestial connections and the current popularity of the so-called ‘TH1/TH2 paradigm’, it is not surprising that a recent editorial has asked the question: ‘Mercury: god of TH2 cells?’ (Mathieson et al., 1991). We will use that query as a starting point for this review of mercury’s immunotoxicity, keeping in mindthe possibility that this compound may resemble those gods of antiquity and have a variety of functions.
