cleaning keyboards in the dishwasher

On 1/10/2006 at 1:22 AM C Fernandez wrote: I'm not sure if that hazzard? I don't know--it's not the metallic mercury that's terribly reactive, but vapors aren't awfully safe. There are safe ways to clean up the metallic mercury--binding to a more active metal is one. Still, it's worthwhile considering that calomel (mercurous chloride) was used since the 1600's as as a purgative and treatment for yellow fever in humans. Mercuric chloride (or corrisive sublimate) was long used as an antiseptic. Before arsenic was used as a treatment for syphilis, mercury was used. Mercury salts were extensively used as fungicides and insecticides. And of course, you're familiar with mercury switches and thermometers, in addition to the use of mercury in lighting devices, such as mercury-vapor lamps and fluorescent lamps. Old photographic tintypes and daguerrotypes were developed by fuming with mercury. In some ways, I think we're trying to be too safe. Certainly, too much mercury will rot your brain; witness the old saying "Mad as a hatter" from the practice of preparing rabbit skins using mercurous nitrate for toughening and removal of the hairs (called carroting) in order to turn them into felt. Many workers were poisoned by the mercury. But in general, we've always had mercury in one form or another all around us and I've never heard of anyone dying from ingesting the mercury in an old-style fever thermometer The same goes for lead. In addition to the applications of lead-based solder in electronics, the same has been used for a couple of centuries to construct brass musical instruments. The water main that fed my parents' house was made of lead (that use dates back to the Romans, whence comes our word "plumber"). Lead paints were used as durable coatings for everything today's mercury--that is, schools will be closed for three days because some child brought in a fishing sinker to show and tell.. Maybe I'm too old to deliver a modern opinion on how much exposure is safe. Heck, I still miss carbon tet and zinc chromate. Cheers, Chuck