Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

Abolishinist

(1,320 posts)
55. There's an interesting back story to being "mad as a hatter".
Wed Mar 20, 2024, 08:06 PM
Mar 20

In Connecticut, mercury-induced tremors were called the Danbury shakes, after the city of Danbury, which was a leading center for hat making during the 19th century and into the early years of the 20th century.

Researchers have suggested that Boston Corbett, a hat industry worker who killed John Wilkes Booth, President Abraham Lincoln’s assassin, might’ve suffered from poor mental health due to mercury poisoning. Corbett, who’d been employed as a hat maker since he was a young man, became a religious zealot and in 1858 castrated himself with a pair of scissors as a way to curb his libido.

He went on to serve in the Union Army during the Civil War, and after Lincoln was shot by Booth on April 14, 1865, at Ford’s Theatre in Washington, D.C., Corbett and his regiment, the 16th New York Cavalry, were sent to track down the gunman, who was on the lam. On April 26, the soldiers surrounded Booth in a Virginia barn; however, Corbett disobeyed orders to capture the fugitive alive and instead shot and killed him.

Corbett was cleared of blame by the military and lauded by many in the public as a hero for his role in avenging the president’s death.

More...
https://www.history.com/news/where-did-the-phrase-mad-as-a-hatter-come-from

We are just pawns in billionaires games mucifer Mar 20 #1
"As private parts to the gods are we! They play with us for their sport. (Lord Melchet)" TheBlackAdder Mar 20 #62
Can he BE more of a misogynist? Nt spooky3 Mar 20 #2
never tempt the gods! WhiteTara Mar 20 #6
Good point! Nt spooky3 Mar 20 #7
Maybe. But I think he'd have to really work at it, and he's probably too lazy for that. ShazzieB Mar 20 #39
Musk might accept that challenge IronLionZion Mar 21 #81
For people who are curious about Musks comment... WarGamer Mar 20 #3
Mr. X himself.... SergeStorms Mar 20 #19
but anything on the internet and computers can be regurgitated. no? AllaN01Bear Mar 20 #25
Musk is destroying Western Civilization just by breathing. BlueKota Mar 20 #4
He's so disgusting. 2naSalit Mar 20 #17
Must be sniffing EV battery electrolyte - Disaffected Mar 20 #5
screw ev batts and goto fuel cells . AllaN01Bear Mar 20 #23
Just like where the phrase DENVERPOPS Mar 20 #29
There's an interesting back story to being "mad as a hatter". Abolishinist Mar 20 #55
Yea, DENVERPOPS Mar 20 #63
And that chemical was mercury. I haven't seen mercuary in a thermometer for a long time, soldierant Mar 20 #68
More specifically airplaneman Mar 20 #69
Don't remind me. Disaffected Mar 21 #85
As a child I did the vey same thing. airplaneman Mar 21 #86
Yeh malaise Mar 20 #8
along w his buddy t,,,,. AllaN01Bear Mar 20 #24
musky makes mr. potter look like a generous and giving soul. Lunabell Mar 20 #9
as opposed to Musk...doing his damnedest to agingdem Mar 20 #10
More plutocrats and billionaires need to step up. Voltaire2 Mar 20 #11
Snidely 'lone skunk' Whiplash dweller Mar 20 #12
Something is seriously mentally wrong with Musk......................... Lovie777 Mar 20 #13
Nothing that even more drugs can't make worse! erronis Mar 20 #31
I blame it on the excess of privilege that he's been swimming in his whole life. ShazzieB Mar 20 #42
When you are born rich, you never have to grow up DBoon Mar 20 #52
He's on the autism spectrum TexasBushwhacker Mar 21 #79
Wonderful Demovictory9 Mar 20 #14
Well, isn't western' civilization basically a patriarchy? Wicked Blue Mar 20 #15
Not at my house. Mr.Bill Mar 20 #20
It certainly has been. Biophilic Mar 20 #33
Yes, and if the christofascist scum get their way, even more so. niyad Mar 20 #34
There's "fascist scum" in every culture & religion, whathehell Mar 20 #41
I was referring to THIS country, and what the christofascists are doing niyad Mar 20 #53
Equating a single religion with fascism whathehell Mar 21 #88
I am well aware that that book says nothing about abortion. That, however, niyad Mar 21 #89
Do you really believe whathehell Mar 22 #92
We have Christofascists actively trying to end democracy, here. Hermit-The-Prog Mar 21 #90
You dont really believe the fascists are whathehell Mar 21 #91
Skum can shove it where the sun don't shine Blue Owl Mar 20 #16
Screw him. MacKenzie Scott is doing just great! Hekate Mar 20 #18
Hey mush...go back to South Africa or better yet, get on one of those great rockets you build! PortTack Mar 20 #21
good on ms bezos AllaN01Bear Mar 20 #22
Ms. Scott. niyad Mar 20 #36
thx. AllaN01Bear Mar 20 #50
F that ugly a hole ! kimbutgar Mar 20 #26
Ms. Scott you ARE a a CLASS ACT! Unlike eLoon and your ex who do space programs as vanity projects. dutch777 Mar 20 #27
musk is disappointing. We had so much hope and thought he was a good person samsingh Mar 20 #28
Some of us never thought he was a good person. niyad Mar 20 #37
I know, right? ShazzieB Mar 20 #44
he's a digusting hypocrite and meglomaniac samsingh Mar 21 #77
He's a white supremacist. Johnny2X2X Mar 20 #30
tiki-torch man acting like he doesn't know what he's doing. erronis Mar 20 #32
A white male supremacist, it seems. whathehell Mar 20 #43
His whining about MacKenzie Scott & very wealthy ex wives seemed a passive/aggressive swipe Attilatheblond Mar 20 #56
That sounds likely.... whathehell Mar 21 #72
Oh, yes. ShazzieB Mar 20 #46
Did you see the names he chose for his kids? Yeah, the guy is higher than a kite.🫤 MerryBlooms Mar 20 #58
Yes! *groan* ShazzieB Mar 20 #64
Yep, and surrounded by enablers telling him it's okay uponit7771 Mar 20 #49
And an anti-semite. n/t area51 Mar 20 #70
Projection! Cha Mar 20 #35
Musk has a point BaronChocula Mar 20 #38
We love her and so does everyone that matters. Bluethroughu Mar 20 #40
Eloon is a fucking Nazi. OverBurn Mar 20 #45
She rocks! Joinfortmill Mar 20 #47
Musk is such a disappointment when it comes to being human. spanone Mar 20 #48
Good. marble falls Mar 20 #51
Doesn't Elon have anything more intelligent to do, like maybe pick his nose? struggle4progress Mar 20 #54
We need more philanthropist x-spouses. Silent Type Mar 20 #57
Well define yourself a little more ELON. We know your NAZI preferences. Grimes made a good choice. n/t Evolve Dammit Mar 20 #59
And by "western civilization" he means moondust Mar 20 #60
Musk needs to do a Howard Hughes and sequester himself in a hotel for a few years. progressoid Mar 20 #61
You can take the apartheid asshole out of South Africa Hassler Mar 20 #65
I wanted to short Tesla usonian Mar 20 #66
He's jealous. MontanaMama Mar 20 #67
Women are only good for populating the Earth with the offspring of galaxy-brained, self made men, don't you know? LudwigPastorius Mar 21 #71
MacKenzie Scott is embarrassing this fraud LetMyPeopleVote Mar 21 #73
He's like every Bond villain NanaCat Mar 21 #74
Malcolm Nance calls him not fooled Mar 21 #87
Meanwhile, he will keep making ugly trucks that look like tanks SouthernDem4ever Mar 21 #75
I prefer saying, "Amazon's co-founder and first employee, Mackenzie Scott" obamanut2012 Mar 21 #76
i agree and et tu Mar 21 #78
Gets more stupid every day Picaro Mar 21 #80
Musk is a Bond supervillain IronLionZion Mar 21 #82
He's more Dr. Evil than Dr. No Kennah Mar 21 #83
I get an inference that money towards... Whatthe_Firetruck Mar 21 #84
Latest Discussions»General Discussion»Elon Musk said Bezos' ex-...»Reply #55