Today, quicksilver is known as "mercury", the base of the traditional thermometer
Quicksilver is a term with different meanings depending on the etymological root taken into account. If it is considered that the concept derives from the Hispanic Arabic azzáwq (which comes from the classical Arabic zā»ūq or zāwūq , in turn coming from the pelvi zīwag ), quicksilver alludes to mercury .
Toxic and heavy chemical element
Quicksilver or mercury, in this framework, is a metallic chemical element that is characterized by its toxicity and being very heavy . Its atomic number is 80 and its symbol, Hg . Part of its Greek etymology is hidden in its symbol, since these two letters are part of the term hydragyros , which translates as "water" and "silver."
Of little presence in the crust of planet Earth , quicksilver is a very good conductor of electricity, unlike what happens with heat. With it, alloys are made that are used in the field of medicine and dentistry, for example, while it is also used to make pesticides and other products.
Curiosities of quicksilver
It is important to mention that when quicksilver is spoken of as a synonym for mercury, it is a name that is no longer used but was given for a long time. In the very distant past, alchemists were convinced that quicksilver was a fundamental ingredient for finding the coveted philosopher's stone , which was believed to be a source of unmatched power, with the ability to make us immortal, cure all diseases and even convert in gold all metals.
Its discovery took place in the year 1490, when a manufacturer of wooden bathtubs located near Idrija, in Slovenia, noticed a shine in the water that caught his attention . Precisely there we can find a mine that ranks second on the list of the largest sources of quicksilver in the world; The first is for Almadén, located in Ciudad Real.
But quicksilver did not always bring benefits to humans, since, as we know well today when studying the properties of mercury, it can be very toxic . In fact, there were many alchemists who died from poisoning due to excessive use of it.
19th century hatters used compounds derived from quicksilver to process furs so that their products would not become moth-eaten, as they are excellent antiseptics. However, since their work spaces were small and closed, the constant inhalation of toxic substances damaged their neurons and caused what is known today as mercurialism . This disorder presents symptoms such as personality changes, depression, tremors and irritability. The Mad Hatter , by Lewis Carroll , is inspired by this pathology.
Other meanings
The ship that was used to transport mercury from Spanish territory to the American continent is also called quicksilver. This heavy metal was used to treat silver .
When quicksilver has as its etymological antecedent the Hispanic Arabic assúq (from the classical Arabic sūq , which comes from the Aramaic sūqā , a word derived from the Akkadian sūqu ), it refers to a plaza where commercial activities were carried out. The quicksilver, in this way, was the area in which street stalls were installed and a market functioned.
Mercurialism led to the belief that madness was inherent in the hatter's work.
The Royal Spanish Academy ( RAE ), on the other hand, includes in its dictionary the colloquial verbal phrase “ser un azogue” . The expression is used to name someone who is very restless .
“Azogue” , finally, is the name in Spanish of “Quicksilver” , the first volume of the “Baroque Cycle” by Neal Stephenson . This volume, in turn, is made up of three books : “Azogue” , “The King of the Vagabonds” and “Odalisque” .