Mad hatter disease

Mercury and history. @allshiny product

1. Mad Hatter Disease

2. In the 18th and 19th centuries, hats were often made from the fur of small animals (such as rabbits or beavers) which first underwent a felting process. This process involved using a mixture to separate the fur from the skin and keep the hair together. The mixture contained mercuric nitrate—i.e. mercury . Since the mixture was orange, the process was called “ carroting .” “Carroting”

3. The skins were then dried in an oven before being stretched over a bar in a cutting machine. The pelts were then sliced off in thin shreds and layered onto a conical mould, where they would be pressed and shrunk with steam and hot water. The resulting felt could then be dyed and made into fine hats. Felting Process

4. Use of mercury in hatmaking is thought to have originated with the Huguenots in 17th century France and eventually carried to England. The effects of mercury exposure were already known, but nonetheless milliners often worked in confined spaces, without ventilation or protective gear of any kind. The expression “mad as a hatter” can be traced back as far as 1829. Mercury Exposure

5. Exposure to mercury can cause a neurological disorder known as erethism . Erethism is characterized by behavioral changes such as irritability, low self-confidence, depression, apathy, shyness and timidity. In some extreme cases of prolonged exposure to mercury vapors, delirium, personality changes and memory loss can also occur. Mercury Poisoning

6. People with erethism often have difficulty with social interactions . There are physical problems associated with mercury poisoning as well, including a decrease in physical strength, headaches, general pain, and tremors, as well as an irregular heartbeat. Other possible symptoms include: kidney damage, sweating, loss of hearing, red fingers and toes, red cheeks, insomnia. Mercury Poisoning

7. Danbury, CT boasted of being the “Hat City of the World” from the 1850s until WW2. At the peak, around 5 million hats were produced in Danbury each year. The Connecticut State Board of Health monitored the effect of mercury in Danbury’s hat-making factories in the 1880s and 1890s, but as long as the carroting process did not affect the health of the general public, the health board did not act. “Danbury Shakes” The Mallory Hat Factory in Danbury, CT circa 1884

8. The tremors from mercury poisoning became so deeply associated with the industry in the area that they were dubbed the “ Danbury Shakes .” According to a study in 1922: “...[Of] 100 union hatters of Danbury, Conn., examined by experts, 43 had mercury poisoning… Boys 20 and 21 years old are already so badly poisoned that their hands shake continually , while many of the men who have served longer at the trade cannot even feed themselves .” “Danbury Shakes”

9. Through their unions , Danbury hatters persistently called for call an investigation into their work conditions and exposure to mercury vapor . Mercury poisoning was added to the state Workmen’s Compensation Act of 1913 and was recognized by the state as an occupational hazard in 1919 . But it was not until 1937 that a government study was undertaken, which found a high incidence of mercury poisoning among workers in the hat-making industry. “Danbury Shakes”

10. The 1937 study also noted that alcohol and tobacco use were not to blame for their symptoms, as had been alleged by some manufacturers and insurers in court cases. On December 1, 1941 , Governor Robert A. Hurley announced Connecticut’s ban on the use of mercury , saying that “it was possible to manufacture good fur felt hats without making physical wrecks out of hundreds of workers.” Hydrogen peroxide replaced the use of mercury. “Danbury Shakes”

11. For many years after 1941, Danbury’s hatters celebrated the mercury ban every December 1st. The mercury in Danbury did not simply disappear, though - high levels are still evident in the ground upon which the factories stood and in the sediment of local rivers. In 2003, one factory site was planted with Eastern cottonwood trees that had been genetically engineered to absorb mercury from the soil. This process, called phytoremediation , is controversial because the trees emit traces of mercury into the air. “Danbury Shakes”

12. 1829: First description of symptoms is published in St. Petersburg, Russia. 1860: Detailed description of mercury poisoning among New Jersey hatters appears in an article by Addison Freeman, titled " Mercurial Disease Among Hatters ,” which is published in a local medical journal. "A proper regard for the health of this class of citizens demands that mercury should not be used so extensively in the manufacture of hats, and that if its use is essential, that the hat finishers' room should be large, with a high ceiling, and well-ventilated ." Timeline

13. 1869: French Academy of Medicine demonstrates the health hazards posed to hatmakers. 1874: Alternatives to mercury use in hatmaking become available. 1888: A hydrochloride-based process is patented in the U.S. - but is ignored . 1898: Legislation is passed in France to protect hatmakers from the risks of mercury exposure. 1934: U.S. Public Health Service estimates that 80% of American felt makers have mercurial tremors. 1941: U.S. hatmakers voluntarily adopt a ban on mercury use - primarily due to mercury being diverted to the war effort , not to protect workers. Timeline

14. Some of the toxic effects of mercury are partially or wholly reversible , either through chelation therapy or through natural elimination of the metal after exposure has been discontinued. However, heavy or prolonged exposure can do irreversible damage, in particular in fetuses, infants, and young children who are still developing. Autopsy findings point to a half-life of inorganic mercury in human brains of 27.4 years . Treatment and Prognosis

15. There is no “cure” for mercury poisoning. The best way to treat mercury poisoning is to stop your exposure to the metal. Decontamination requires removal of clothes, washing skin with soap and water, and flushing the eyes with saline solution as needed. Treatment and Prognosis

16. Chelation therapy: Chelating agents are drugs that remove the metal from your organs and help your body dispose of them. Chelation therapy may have limited success in treating prolonged exposure to mercury. Long term, continued treatment is necessary to manage the physical and neurological effects of mercury poisoning. Treatment and Prognosis

17. Tim Burton’s 2010 version of Alice in Wonderland stars Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter . T he orange marks on the Mad Hatter’s skin, as well as the deep orange color of his hair , recall the symptoms associated with carroting . In a 2009 interview with the Los Angeles Times, Johnny Depp said that he was aware of the implications of the Hatter’s behavior: "I think [the Mad Hatter] was poisoned – very, very poisoned. And I think it just took [e]ffect in all his nerves. It was coming out through his hair and through his fingernails, through his eyes." Alice in Wonderland Character