Erethism
Encyclopedia
Erethism or erethism mercurialis is a symptom complex of mercury poisoning
, presenting with excessive shyness
, timidity and social phobia. This was common among hat makers of old England who used mercury
to stabilize the wool in a process called felting. The character the Mad Hatter in Lewis Carroll
's Alice in Wonderland is often believed to be an example of someone suffering from erethism, but this account is apocryphal. The character was almost certainly based on Theophilus Carter
, an eccentric furniture dealer who was well known to Carroll.
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...
, presenting with excessive shyness
Shyness
In humans, shyness is a social psychology term used to describe the feeling of apprehension, lack of comfort, or awkwardness experienced when a person is in proximity to, approaching, or being approached by other people, especially in new situations or with unfamiliar people...
, timidity and social phobia. This was common among hat makers of old England who used mercury
Mercury (element)
Mercury is a chemical element with the symbol Hg and atomic number 80. It is also known as quicksilver or hydrargyrum...
to stabilize the wool in a process called felting. The character the Mad Hatter in Lewis Carroll
Lewis Carroll
Charles Lutwidge Dodgson , better known by the pseudonym Lewis Carroll , was an English author, mathematician, logician, Anglican deacon and photographer. His most famous writings are Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and its sequel Through the Looking-Glass, as well as the poems "The Hunting of the...
's Alice in Wonderland is often believed to be an example of someone suffering from erethism, but this account is apocryphal. The character was almost certainly based on Theophilus Carter
Theophilus Carter
Theophilus Carter was an eccentric British inventor and furniture dealer most famous for his combination of an alarm clock and a bed, and thought to be an inspiration for the illustration by Sir John Tenniel of Lewis Carroll's characters the Mad Hatter in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Hatta...
, an eccentric furniture dealer who was well known to Carroll.