• Cornelius_Wangenheim@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      9
      ·
      edit-2
      7 days ago

      Because a single lick probably won’t kill you. The dose makes the poison and all. The highly radioactive ones will (see polonium tea).

    • Baguette@lemmy.blahaj.zone
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      7
      ·
      7 days ago

      Depends on the state of mercury. Mercury in an inorganic state is survivable. It’d probably still mess up your organs. Organic mercury or mercury in its vapor form is a lot more dangerous, and can cross the blood brain barrier.

      A medical video essay about mercury: https://youtu.be/NJ7M01jV058

      • Buddahriffic@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        6
        ·
        6 days ago

        A high school chemistry teacher once mentioned a story about someone who tried to commit suicide by drinking a beaker of mercury. He mostly just got the shits from it. But they stopped letting the kids play with it because of that mercury vapour.