Some elemental and chemical forms of mercury (vapor, methylmercury, inorganic mercury) are more toxic than other forms. In the case of mining, mercury is used in the process to purify and completely extract the precious metals. In dental clinics it is primarily through their interaction and installation of dental amalgams to treat dental caries. In factories, workers are exposed to mercury primarily through the base products and processes involved in making the final end consumer product. Some of the higher risk jobs that can lead to occupational exposure of workers to mercury are working in a chlor-alkali, thermometer, glassblowing, or fluorescent light bulb factory, and working in construction, dental clinics, or in gold and silver mines.

People who get erethism are often exposed to mercury through their jobs. Mercury is an element that is found worldwide in soil, rocks, and water. Associated physical problems may include a decrease in physical strength, headaches, general pain, and tremors, as well as an irregular heartbeat.

People with erethism often have difficulty with social interactions. Erethism is characterized by behavioral changes such as irritability, low self-confidence, depression, apathy, shyness and timidity, and in some extreme cases with prolonged exposure to mercury vapors, by delirium, personality changes and memory loss. Medical condition Mercury poisoning, chronic (neurological symptomatology)Įrethism, also known as erethismus mercurialis, mad hatter disease, or mad hatter syndrome, is a neurological disorder which affects the whole central nervous system, as well as a symptom complex, derived from mercury poisoning.

Mercury poisoning hatters