Geoff writes

It was decreed that putting mercury metal in the hands of the great
unwashed
( the public) was not a good thing:-)

I expect there's more mercury in the amalgam for a molar's filling

People are already worried about that ;-)
In the US there has been publicity given to alleged links between
mercury amalgam fillings and depression. Not only are people shifting
over to ceramic fillings, they are getting their amalgam fillings
drilled out and replaced.

than in
the capilliary tube of a max/min thermometer. Restrictions might be OK for
mercury barometers and some thermometers.

Pretty nasty stuff .-so use blue or red dyed alcohol as an alternative.

But the alcohol ones are useless! Hg's nasty perhaps but not highly
reactive.

I'm colour prejudiced in this, I want silver!!

It's about time the EU banned apple pips which contain arsenic

Not arsenic as well! ;-) Or did you mean cyanide?


--
Kay