A Scientist Spilled 2 Drops Organic Mercury On Her Hand. This Is What Happened To Her Brain.

Comments · 33K

• CH

  @chubbyemu · 8 years ago · pinned

  Happy Medical Monday (which isn’t every Monday, and sometimes isn’t on Monday, but I try my best) 👨‍⚕️👩‍⚕️🚑<br>PS Why do people in these videos have 2 letter initials for names? It’s a didactic tradition in presenting case reports. It lightly de-identifies the patient while upholding their humanity. They are, and will always be, more than just “the patient.” Thanks for watching :)

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• TB

  @TBomb15 · 5 years ago (edited)

  &quot;dimethyl mercury&quot;<br>me (a chemist): what the hell, why wasn&apos;t she wearing proper protection for that...oh.......oh so she&apos;s the one who warned us. Here&apos;s to you KW, &nbsp;I honor you for protecting all those who came after you (including me)

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• MA

  @manolisgledsodakis873 · 7 years ago

  <b>NOTE:</b> This video is about <b>DIMETHYL MERCURY LIQUID</b> and <b>not</b> mercury metal. Comments about mercury metal are as irrelevant as comments about <b>mustard</b> would be to a video about &quot;mustard gas&quot;!

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• TH

  @TheFullManatee · 6 years ago (edited)

  Her name was Karen Wetterhahn, a chemist at Dartmouth College, where she established the Women in Science Project, doubling the percentage of women pursuing science degrees. She was exposed to a lethal dose of dimethylmercury in 1996, and less than a year later, in 1997, the scientific world lost one of its brightest and most inquisitive minds. Her legacy lives on in both her efforts to involve more people, especially women, in the sciences, and her colleagues&apos; efforts after her death to increase workplace safety and the regulation of harmful chemicals.<br>Karen Wetterhahn: Oct 16, 1948 - Jun 8, 1997.

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• SW

  @SWISS-1337 · 3 years ago

  Nothing worse than being an expert in a field, seeing the symptoms and slowly realising that you know exactly what is happening and what&apos;s to come. The description of her appearing to be screaming, then back to no response... That is terrifying... either she was suffering from some type of locked in syndrome, or briefly comes back to sentience, like dying multiple times. This is just absolutely terrifying.

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• EN

  @entropicMuse · 5 years ago

  Karen Wetterhahn was her name, rest in peace

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• SE

  @SEllis-wd9nx · 5 years ago (edited)

  I read an article in which KW was interviewed about this incident. &nbsp;She didn&apos;t ignore the spill. She was wearing two pairs of latex or neoprene gloves. She saw the two drops hit her gloved hand, she immediately removed her gloves and washed her hands. She then went to the hospital and received treatment for heavy metal poisoning. It didn&apos;t help she was dying by the time the magazine article was written and new she would not survive. That stuff is so toxic that lethal dose got through the gloves in seconds and her skin and remained toxic despite immediate treatment. Keep that stuff locked up.

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• CH

  @chevaliedelareverie · 7 years ago

  This made me cry... She must have been so terrified as she helplessly died trapped in her breaking body. Death might have been a merciful end. I am so heartbroken for her. She died from the work she did to protect others &lt;/3 She&apos;s a hero.

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• BI

  @bilbobaginutopi2284 · 3 years ago

  I took a bioinorganic chemistry course last semester and our professor had personal connection with her, sharing her story as we learned about heavy metals. RIP

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• RE

  @Rechallenge · 7 years ago (edited)

  The scary thing is that she was still conscious, but neurologically trapped and unable to act.

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• DE

  @deathsdesciple6405 · 8 years ago

  This is scarier than those horror stories.

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• DE

  @deepfriedsalt567 · 5 years ago

  With that much dimethyl mercury in her brain, she was lucky, or should I say extremely unlucky, to survive that long. She was an absolute legend. She kept her composure and decided we should learn from her tragedy.

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