10 Things Considered Healthy in the Past That Are Definitely Not

Mercury

Mercury, the naturally occurring chemical, was actually a remedy of choice for syphilis back in the 1500s. The person who “introduced” it as a treatment of syphilis was a Scottish surgeon named John Hunter. He claimed that he managed to cure himself of this sexually transmitted disease only by using mercury.

Little did he know, as it turned out, that syphilis strikes in three phases and that each phase has remission periods which can last up to three years. Doctors think that these remission periods were most likely responsible for Hunter’s claims.

However, mercury continued to be used in various illnesses until the early 20th century.