Quote:
Originally Posted by Borderjumper
Hmmmm..."Mad as a hatter" is a colloquial phrase used in conversation to refer to a crazy person. In 18th and 19th century England mercury was used in the production of felt, which was used in the manufacturing of hats common of the time. People who worked in these hat factories were exposed daily to trace amounts of the metal, which accumulated within their bodies over time, causing some workers to develop dementia caused by mercury poisoning. Thus the phrase "Mad as a Hatter" became popular as a way to refer to someone who was perceived as insane.
So maybe, to become a mad reefer, it could be prolonged exposed to calcium?
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I thought they went mad from the habit of holding the hat pins in their mouths, the pins at the time containing mercury. Yours sounds better though..
After a longish run, I still have no answer to the dilemma, I guess some people are just, well, mad!