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Apr 25, 2024 47 min

Mercury and Mad Hatters

from Conjuring Curiosities

We’re stepping through the looking glass this week to learn why exactly Victorian hatters happened to be so mad! In the heyday of hatmaking, mercury played a starring role in the production of felt hats, including the iconic top hats favoured by Victorian gentlemen. But behind the glamour and sophistication lay a hidden danger - mercury poisoning. From trembling hands to erratic behavior, the symptoms of mercury poisoning exacted a heavy toll on the health of hatters. Tune in to hear all about the origins of Wonderlands favourite Hatter, and how mercury is still affecting us to this day! See photos discussed in this episode on our instagram Follow us on tiktok for videos that cover a condensed version of each topic! SOURCES History.com - Where did the phrase “mad as a hatter” come from? Interesting Literature - The Curious Meaning and Origin of the Phrase ‘Mad as a Hatter’ Medium - The Original Mad Hatter From ‘Alice in Wonderland’ Wikipedia - Hatter (Alice's Adventures in Wonderland) Vanderbilt - Mad as a Hatter: Global efforts to reduce mercury emissions

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Mercury and Mad Hatters

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This episode is 47 minutes long.

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This episode was published on April 25, 2024.

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