Gray mercury ointment

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The gray mercury ointment ( Latin Unguentum hydrargyri cinereum ) was a traditional remedy against syphilis, among other things . Today the ointment is no longer used because it causes mercury poisoning, which was caused less by the absorption of the mercury through the skin and more by the inhalation of the mercury vapors. For production, 30 parts of mercury, 5 parts of wool wax and one part of olive oil were rubbed together until no more mercury spheres were visible. A mixture of melted lard (40 parts) and mutton tallow (24 parts) was then added.

The gray ointment in Daddeldu's song to the steadfast bride by Joachim Ringelnatz has entered the literature .

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. A. Burger, H. Wachter (new edit.): Hunnius Pharmaceutical Dictionary . 8th edition. Walter de Gruyter, Berlin / New York 1998, p. 1423 f.
  2. DAB6 , 1926.
  3. Joachim Ringelnatz: Daddeldus song to the firm bride. Joachim Ringelnatz : Kuttel Daddeldu: Daddeldu's song to the firm bride 'in the Gutenberg-DE project