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|Section2= |Section3= |Section4= |Section8= }} Mercury(I) chloride is the chemical compound with the formula Hg2Cl2. Also known as calomel (a mineral form, rarely found in nature) or mercurous chloride, this dense white or yellowish-white, odorless solid is the principal example of a mercury(I) compound. It is a component of reference electrodes in electrochemistry. ==History== The name calomel is thought to come from the Greek καλός ''beautiful'', and μέλας ''black''; or καλός and μέλι ''honey'' from its sweet taste.〔 The ''black'' name (somewhat surprising for a white compound) is probably due to its characteristic disproportionation reaction with ammonia, which gives a spectacular black coloration〔 due to the finely dispersed metallic mercury formed. It is also referred to as the mineral ''horn quicksilver''〔 or ''horn mercury''. Calomel was taken internally and used as a laxative〔 and disinfectant, as well as in the treatment of syphilis, until the early 20th century. Until fairly recently it was also used as a horticultural fungicide, most notably as a root dip to help prevent the occurrence of clubroot amongst crops of the Brassicaceae family.〔Buczacki, S., ''Pests, Diseases and Disorders of Garden Plants'', Collins, 1998, pp 449-50. ISBN 0-00-220063-5〕 Mercury became a popular remedy for a variety of physical and mental ailments during the age of "heroic medicine." It was used by doctors in America throughout the 18th century, and during the revolution, to make patients regurgitate and release their body from "impurities". Benjamin Rush was one particular well-known advocate of mercury in medicine and used calomel to treat sufferers of yellow fever during its outbreak in Philadelphia in 1793. Calomel was given to patients as a purgative or cathartic until they began to salivate and was often administered to patients in such great quantities that their hair and teeth fell out.〔 〕 Shortly after yellow fever struck Philadelphia, the disease broke out in Jamaica. A war of words erupted in the press concerning the best treatment for yellow fever; bleeding or calomel. Anecdotal evidence indicates calomel was more effective than bleeding.〔 〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Mercury(I) chloride」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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