Broken energy saver globe and the foot

[tvtech]

Hi

I stumbled across this and am shocked at what happened to this guy. See link:**broken link removed**

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

As the article says, there's no proof its anything to do with mercury - more likely it's just an untreated infection.

 

[BrownOut]

I stumbled across this and am shocked at what happened to this guy.

That's total baloney!

 

[tvtech]

That's total baloney!

Maybe so.....but that is one seriously cut/diseased/infected wound. I wish we had some Medical Doctors on here to comment on this.
I played with mercury as a schoolkid...amazing liquid metal. Never had any open cuts or wounds it could enter though.

Cheers,
TV TECH

 

[BrownOut]

I played with mercury as a schoolkid...

So did I, heh! Maybe that explains my lack of short-term memory. What were we talking about?

 

[tvtech]

So did I, heh! Maybe that explains my lack of short-term memory. What were we talking about?

My short-term memory has also gone bad. What were you saying again about, ugh what??
Never mind.

the Tech

 

[tvtech]

Apparently, if you swallow a drop of Mercury....it passes through your body and exits through your bum seconds later. Shattered into lots of pieces obviously. Then you need a magnet to collect all.

I cannot confirm this as I have not tried it. Sounds like a cool party trick though.

Cheery bye
T TE

 

[BrownOut]

There is a miniscule amount of mercury in a CFL bulb, and it's in vapor form, so it blows away. If is was lying around in droplets, a magnet wouldn't help.

 

[tvtech]

Got the magnet. From an old Fane speaker. This thing is huge. And strong. Now for the "liquid metal". Got it. Jirre, it's heavy.

One, two, three GO

tvtech,
Please dont off drift of Topic....Mod

 

[tvtech]

There is a miniscule amount of mercury in a CFL bulb, and it's in vapor form, so it blows away. If is was lying around in droplets, a magnet wouldn't help.

In all seriousness Brownout, I call BS too. The guys foot was cut...by something sharp. One of the bloggers on the linked forum reckoned he had seen similar images a while back due to a snake bite ???. I call BS on that too.

Really badly cut rotting foot.

 

[tcmtech]

Mercury does not attack flesh like that rather it attacks/damages the nervous system.
Too me those photos look far more like a bad cut or frostbite damage that developed a bad bacterial or fungal infection or more plausibly improper healing of a large cut due to the onset of severe and neglected diabetes.

Given a large cut like that on the foot there would have been massive bleeding which would have flushed out any trace amounts of mercury in the first few seconds being elemental mercury is hygroscopic meaning it will not readily mix with most water based fluids, such as blood, making it very difficult to absorb into a bleeding wound in the first place.

For more complete info,

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercury_poisoning

https://www.elcosh.org/en/document/...aign=adwords&gclid=CMDlgbHT_KsCFcEBQAodbgg_xg

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=jeremy-piven-mercury-poisoning&page=3

 

[Reloadron]

Apparently, if you swallow a drop of Mercury....it passes through your body and exits through your bum seconds later. Shattered into lots of pieces obviously. Then you need a magnet to collect all.

I cannot confirm this as I have not tried it. Sounds like a cool party trick though.

Cheery bye
T TE

Uh, you will need a pretty cold bum as isn't mercury only magnetic at cryogenic temperatures? I don't think you can suck up mercury using a magnet?

While I am not a doctor I do have my amateur OBGYN doctorate from What A Matter U. I also call BS on the images and story. Trust me, I am a doctor.

Like many here I also played with mercury as a kid. Hell. I also chewed on windowsills painted with lead paint. Mercury was not harmful and lead paint was just fine during the 50s. Then too, the mercury and lead paint could explain a few present day quirks I guess?

Ron

 

[Sceadwian]

There is a miniscule amount of mercury in a CFL bulb, and it's in vapor form, so it blows away. If is was lying around in droplets, a magnet wouldn't help.

According to this website, it's an average of 4mg, I wouldn't quiet call that minuscule, nor would it make any sense for that amount to cause such a dramatic case of necrotic tissue, as TCMTech said it doesn't work like that, it's obviously a totally hoaxed article.
Also it doesn't just blow away unless you're outdoors in a good breeze, the specific gravity of mercury even in a vapor form will cause it drop to the ground (less ambient air flow) and remain in the environment until diffused by traffic. I'm not sure what happens to the mercury vapor when it's exposed to ambient air though, I'm just guessing but I'd imagine it will oxidize possibly to a particulate form.

There are documented cases of mercury poisoning (especially of young children) I found one where a case of 8 full sized 40 watt tubes were broken in a storage shed which was cleaned up, however the mercury stayed in the environment and the child suffered mercury poisoning (non fatal) because they played in the area. Not the increase scale of the mercury from 8 full sized tubes.

The average case of a broken tube isn't excessively dangerous though especially for an adult. I dropped one over my work bench which probably coated the whole thing with whatever mercury settled out of it, I simply cleaned up with a damp cloth, no worries.

I think the dangers for continued florescent use isn't in direct exposure to broken bulbs but in long term buildup of mercury in landfill from disposed bulbs. It's illegal to dispose of any florescent tube in the garbage in most countries now though, I keep a collection of the dead bulbs I have, once their is enough that it's taking up too much space I just drop em off at the local recycling center.

Keep in mind fluorescent lighting has been used in industrial lighting of YEARS and I'm sure significantly more serious cases of exposure than a single CFL have occurred in the past, where's the documented proof that necrosis of that degree is possible? If it were there should be previously documented cases in abundance.

The wound looks very similar to some images I've seen of accidents with plate glass.

 

[BrownOut]

According to this website, it's an average of 4mg, I wouldn't quiet call that minuscule,

I would. Even the EPA says it's too little to worry about unless you can somehow inhale 100% of it, which is, of course, impossible.

Also it doesn't just blow away unless you're outdoors in a good breeze

Ever hear of a window? Again, check your "facts" with the EPA. They are the authority, not you.

the specific gravity of mercury even in a vapor form will cause it drop to the ground (less ambient air flow) and remain in the environment until diffused by traffic

As I've pointed out, I have it on better authority that is false. Maybe if you live in a sealed box, but that's not likely.

I'm just guessing but I'd imagine it will oxidize possibly to a particulate form

Paritally, maybe. Enough elemental mercury seems to presist.

There are documented cases of mercury poisoning (especially of young children) I found one where a case of 8 full sized 40 watt tubes were broken in a storage shed which was cleaned up, however the mercury stayed in the environment and the child suffered mercury poisoning (non fatal) because they played in the area. Not the increase scale of the mercury from 8 full sized tubes.

That seems very unlikely. I'd have to see the documents before I believe it.


Bottom line, what I wrote is accurate. Mercury vapor remains a vapor and blows away ( or more accurately, diffuses ). No need to use a magnet since 1) it is a vapor and 2) mercury isn't magnetic.

 

[audioguru]

The cut foot is probably from a dead person because it is not bleeding.

Mercury is not ferrous so a magnet will not attract it.

 

[jpanhalt]

I suspect the images are from a live foot, and the deep wounds may be from a surgical procedure (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fasciotomy). Just imagining the sequence, the person may have had a serious burn, cut, or other condition leading to infection and swelling.* In order to maintain blood flow to the live tissues (i.e., prevent gangrene), the foot was opened to relieve pressure. Such wounds do weep serous fluids, but do not actively bleed.

Not all wounds are surgically closed on presentation. If the wound is highly contaminated (say a farm injury), it is common practice to clean it as best as possible, continue to clean as the almost certain infection is brought under control (debridement; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Debridement), and then repair. The wounds may appear pretty ghastly, but they do heal with scaring. Then plastic surgery takes over, if needed.

I suspect those images were chosen for their shock value only and have nothing to do with mercury exposure. Mercury was used as an antiseptic.

John

*Relatively minor wounds infected with so-called "flesh-eating bacteria" can develop necrotizing fasciitis (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Necrotizing_fasciitis). Opening and debridement is used in the treatment of such wounds as well. The black tissue, which is most evident in the pictures of the top of the foot, is necrotic.

 

[Sceadwian]

Fluorescent lamps contain mercury which is released when bulbs are broken. Mercury in bulbs is typically present as either elemental mercury liquid, vapor or both since the liquid evaporates at ambient temperature.[75] When broken indoors, bulbs may emit sufficient mercury vapor to present health concerns, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recommends evacuating and airing out a room for at least 15 minutes after breaking a fluorescent light bulb.[76] Breakage of multiple bulbs presents a greater concern. A 1987 report described a 23-month-old toddler who suffered anorexia, weight loss, irritability, profuse sweating, and peeling and redness of fingers and toes. This case of acrodynia was traced to exposure of mercury from a carton of 8-foot fluorescent light bulbs that had broken in a potting shed adjacent to the main nursery. The glass was cleaned up and discarded, but the child often used the area for play.[77]

Reference 77 is the relevant one.

^ Tunnessen WW Jr, McMahon KJ, Baser M (1987). "Acrodynia: exposure to mercury from fluorescent light bulbs". Pediatrics 79 (5): 786–9. PMID 3575038.

The direct link to the relevant article can be found here.

I'm not sure how to go about requesting the specifics, but it's not really relevent. What is relevent is that the dangers of mercury exposure are real, and that even when handling even a 'trival' amount care should be taken including proper cleanup with proper filter materials to remove the mercury from the environment.

It shouldn't be enough to cause anyone to lose sleep, but simply ignoring the dangers of a single CFL bulb in general circumstances doesn't make sense when they still have to be disposed of legally as hazardous waste in most developed countries.

It's not a problem but it will be if the 'out of site out of mind' mentality with these types of substances pervades in to the community, which it already has.

 

[BrownOut]

IN 1987, there were no CFL lamps, only old-fashioned fluorescent tubes. It appears that several of these old tubes were broken and the cleanup was incomplete. Nobody has ever said here that the dangers of mercury exposure aren't real, only that the miniscule amount of mercury released from a CFL bulb dissipates quickly if the room is ventilated. And of course, if the area is cleaned and the debris is properly disposed.

 

[Sceadwian]

BrownOut, you might want to do some basic research before you post.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compact_fluorescent_lamp#History
They were commercially used in the photography industry as early as the 1890's....
It can be solidly dated from the patent.

There is no definition of CFL aside from the non tubular shape, which makes them compact..

 

[audioguru]

Most old fluorescent tube fixtures had two 40W tubes for a total of 80W.
Most compact fluorescent bulbs are only 13W. So I would think they contain 13/80 (one sixth) of the small amount of mercury.

Oriental people consumed a lot of mercury in the fish or rice they ate. Maybe that is why they walk funny (with a limp).