Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post

kronckew · 11th July 2009, 09:08 PM

cinnabar is also known as vermillion, and was used in chinese medicines to increase life, the first emperor was given mercury derived from cinnabar to make him immortal. it didn't work. he died insane from mercury pison apparently, and would have lived a lot longer without it...

heated it gives off sulphur dioxide when it does start to decompose, at that is highly toxic and the level at which it kills is undetectable to the human nose (ie. by the time it's strong enough for you to smell it, it's too late, you're dead already). in lower concenrations it is very irtritating to the lungs as in contact with moisture it turns to sulphuric acid.

11th July 2009, 09:08 PM	#1
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,215	cinnabar is also known as vermillion, and was used in chinese medicines to increase life, the first emperor was given mercury derived from cinnabar to make him immortal. it didn't work. he died insane from mercury pison apparently, and would have lived a lot longer without it... heated it gives off sulphur dioxide when it does start to decompose, at that is highly toxic and the level at which it kills is undetectable to the human nose (ie. by the time it's strong enough for you to smell it, it's too late, you're dead already). in lower concenrations it is very irtritating to the lungs as in contact with moisture it turns to sulphuric acid. Last edited by kronckew; 11th July 2009 at 09:43 PM.