![]() One of the most notable was mercury poisoning that occurred from ingesting fish from Minamata Bay, Japan, that were contaminated by Mercury from the waste of a nearby plant. In the early 21 st century Mercury’s use in medicine began to decline after several significant instances of Mercury poisoning. ![]() Mercury was also commonly used from the 15 th-20 th century as an ointment designed to cure syphilis and various skin diseases in western Europe. China’s first emperor, Qín Shǐ Huáng Dì, died from ingesting mercury given to him by alchemists that thought it would prolong his life. In ancient China, it was used to prolong life and promote good health. Unfortunately, we now know that Mercury is extremely toxic to humans, and that Mercury poisoning occurs when there’s exposure to the metal. Mercury was used as a medical treatment in many ancient cultures, possibly because of its rarity, religious significance, and physical ability to transcend states. Its simplified symbol is the god’s winged helmet and caduceus. It was represented by a serpent or snake as influenced by the god Mercury’s caduceus. It was often used in experiments that tried to create gold – one of the primary goals of alchemy. ![]() It was used in applications – both medical and symbolic – to prolong life or guide spirits after death.Īlchemists believed that Mercury was the first metal that all other metals were derived from. Because of Mercury’s ability to change between solid and liquid states, it was also thought of as being able to transcend between life, death, heaven, and earth. It was as much a philosophical practice as it was a scientific one, and often materials were ascribed with great power and meaning. The Planet MercuryĪlchemy is the medieval predecessor of modern chemistry. This is why he was revered for his role to guide spirits of the dead to the underworld. He was also the only God that could easily move between the realms of the dead, the mortals, and the Gods. His ability to move quickly came from his winged feet. Mercury is comparable to the Greek God Hermes who were both thought to be the messenger of the Gods because of their speed. Mercury was also often shown carrying a money purse, and sometimes a lyre (a stringed musical instrument), which he is attributed to inventing. Mercury was sometimes depicted in the nude but was known for his winged feet, helmet, and staff known as the Caduceus – a rod entwined by two snakes. Merchants would pray to Mercury for the protection of their goods and for safe travel as they moved around frequently to sell their goods. The name mercury is believed to be derived from the Latin words merx (meaning merchandise), mercari (meaning trade), and mercas (meaning wages) which is how he became lauded as the protector of merchants and trade. He was known as the God of merchants, travel, goods, trickery, and speed. Mercury was one of the twelve major deities in Ancient Rome.
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