Diagnosis Mercury: Money, Politics and Poison
Encyclopedia
Diagnosis Mercury: Money, Politics and Poison is a 2008 book by Jane Hightower. The book explains that mercury
is a poison
and that the majority of mercury in the environment comes from coal-fired power plants. But the book is mainly concerned with human exposure from the eating of large predatory fish such as swordfish, shark, king mackerel, large tuna, etc. The book also discusses industrial mercury poisoning
s, such as those in Minamata
, Japan, in the 1950s and Ontario
, Canada, in the 1970s.
Mercury (element)
Mercury is a chemical element with the symbol Hg and atomic number 80. It is also known as quicksilver or hydrargyrum...
is a poison
Poison
In the context of biology, poisons are substances that can cause disturbances to organisms, usually by chemical reaction or other activity on the molecular scale, when a sufficient quantity is absorbed by an organism....
and that the majority of mercury in the environment comes from coal-fired power plants. But the book is mainly concerned with human exposure from the eating of large predatory fish such as swordfish, shark, king mackerel, large tuna, etc. The book also discusses industrial mercury poisoning
Mercury poisoning
Mercury poisoning is a disease caused by exposure to mercury or its compounds. Mercury is a heavy metal occurring in several forms, all of which can produce toxic effects in high enough doses...
s, such as those in Minamata
Minamata disease
', sometimes referred to as , is a neurological syndrome caused by severe mercury poisoning. Symptoms include ataxia, numbness in the hands and feet, general muscle weakness, narrowing of the field of vision and damage to hearing and speech. In extreme cases, insanity, paralysis, coma, and death...
, Japan, in the 1950s and Ontario
Ontario Minamata disease
Ontario Minamata disease is a neurological syndrome caused by severe mercury poisoning. It occurred in the Canadian province of Ontario in 1970 and severely affected two First Nation communities located in Northwestern Ontario following consumption of local fish that were contaminated with mercury...
, Canada, in the 1970s.