Dementia

"...ever hear the old expression mad as a hatter?" the voice resumes. "Hatters used mercury compounds on fur hats. Over time the chemicals penetrated their skin. Or they inhaled mercury vapor. It evaporates, you know. It drove them insane."

"Mercury?" Claudia asks.

"Mercury is the worst," the doctor says. The voice is very faint. "Lead is also common. Antimony is like arsenic, very dangerous. Copper, zinc -- there are many others. Tokonartok."

Static. Claudia looks at William. "'Deadly poison,'" he says.

"Today, the madness I see is delirium tremens," the doctor goes on. "The DTs. Someone drinks excessively and continually. Then they stop. The result can be shakes, hallucinations and dementia for days or weeks. Or nussulingnartomik piyok."

"'Sudden death,'" William translates.

Pause. "Alcohol, also ... Over time it poisons the liver. The liver no longer can clean toxins from the bloodstream. The toxins begin to kill the brain. There may be dementia near the end."

"Over time?" Claudia asks.

"Months. Years. A short lifetime."

A long pause. "Anything else?" Claudia asks.

"That is all."

An Access Excellence Science Mystery sponsored by Genentech, Inc.
Copyright © 1997 Genentech, Inc.; all rights reserved.