A Scientist Spilled 2 Drops Organic Mercury On Her Hand. This Is What Happened To Her Brain.
This is based on the true story of Professor KW www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056...
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I hold no responsibility over what you do with your body after watching any of my videos. You should not recreate any of the presented situations. The images shown here are dramatizations of the actual story which has been documented in writing. These videos are not and are not intended to be medical advice. I do not give individualized medical advice over the internet, see your physician for that.
I am a licensed provider trained and based in the United States with no conflicts of interest in presenting this case, or any other case published before this one.
#laboratory #lab #chemistry #science #scientist #hospital #treatment #hospital #physician #pharmacist #nurse #metal #heavymetal #medical #medicine #brain #eye #doctor
Happy Medical Monday (which isn’t every Monday, and sometimes isn’t on Monday, but I try my best) 👨⚕️👩⚕️🚑 PS Why do people in these videos have 2 letter initials for names? It’s a didactic tradition in presenting case reports. It lightly de-identifies the patient while upholding their humanity. They are, and will always be, more than just “the patient.” Thanks for watching :)
Chubbyemu it's always a good Monday when you upload a video this was another good informative and interesting video happy medical Monday
Chubbyemu hi
pls dont stop making videos like your older ones.
Awesome video as always! Helping this future nurse a bunch! Much love and thanks from south Florida!
Chubbyemu Why is there 2 of these comments?
"dimethyl mercury" me (a chemist): what the hell, why wasn't she wearing proper protection for that...oh.......oh so she's the one who warned us. Here's to you KW, I honor you for protecting all those who came after you (including me)
Karen Weterhann is her name
@@tobiassiagian2562 💜
@@tobiassiagian2562 why would you say that the name is hidden for a reason
@@eyeofcthulhu9602 its already public anyways so people who want to know more can also search the name. I get that its for privacy but its on the internet anyways, and the incident happened on 1997 and she is also a well known scientist
@@tobiassiagian2562 Adding to ypur point, 1:52
Karen Wetterhahn was her name, rest in peace
She was a (ethnic) german🇦🇹🇩🇪
Spoilers
@@crispy9731 Her name sounds german
@@TheDrunkCook777 nobody really cares
@@TheDrunkCook777 yeah im sure every viewer is reading all 31k comments. Jackass.
Nothing worse than being an expert in a field, seeing the symptoms and slowly realising that you know exactly what is happening and what's to come. The description of her appearing to be screaming, then back to no response... That is terrifying... either she was suffering from some type of locked in syndrome, or briefly comes back to sentience, like dying multiple times. This is just absolutely terrifying.
btw one thing the stupid indians of the world continue to forget is that subtitles are really read.
@@Brandon_Polen What do you mean, why don't people care anymore?
@@Brandon_Polenyou will be falling over unalive four days
@@Brandon_Polen what are you talking about?
Bro hit the mercury a little too hard that night
I took a bioinorganic chemistry course last semester and our professor had personal connection with her, sharing her story as we learned about heavy metals. RIP
Hell yeah dude! Megadeth!
I remember as a child , being sick in bed and dropping the mecury filled thermometer onto the floor. The glass must have shattered spilling the liquid mecury onto the floor. I was fascinated staring at the liquid metal and how it moved. I don't remember if I touched it , but do remember wanting to play with it. This was in the late 70s, early 80s.
@@lucialuciferion6720nice story but that’s elemental mercury and not the dimethyl mercury seen here
@@jonforhan9196 still, while touching elementary mercury is harmless, it evaporates and gets absorbed in your lungs, creating the same pathology as described in this video.
Her name was Karen Wetterhahn, and she was an extraordinary chemist. She worked at Dartmouth College, where she established the Women in Science Project, doubling the percentage of women pursuing science degrees. She was exposed to a lethal dose of dimethylmercury in 1996, and less than a year later, in 1997, the scientific world lost one of its brightest and most inquisitive minds. Her legacy lives on in both her efforts to involve more people, especially women, in the sciences, and her colleagues' efforts after her death to increase workplace safety and the regulation of harmful chemicals. Karen Wetterhahn: Oct 16, 1948 - Jun 8, 1997.
I heard about this story from my College Geology professor who was studying under Wetterhahn for her doctorate. really chilling story.
I never thought it would get this kind of exposure
Due to bioethical reasons, you should not reveal the name of the patient. That is exactly why the presenter used her initials only to identify her. Those in the medical field will know that one should only be identified by their initials in presentations for privacy and confidentiality. Edit your comment and remove the name please. You can pay homage to her by other means but certainly not here.
It's right in the video captions, lol. Lighten up; this is KZhead, and context matters.
@@hedayatsm553 Hi. I'm *in* the medical field, and have been for some time. Not only is the Wetterhahn case widely known and distributed in medical and safety literature, she's right there in the description. Perhaps condescend about bioethics to somebody else. I'm well aware of HIPAA, and have been since before my days treating patients in the Navy. Using initials is standard, but Wetterhahn's story outside her diagnosis and treatment are just as valuable to industrial hygiene and science education as her treatment was to medicine. Thank you, and have a lovely day.
*NOTE:* This video is about *DIMETHYL MERCURY LIQUID* and *not* mercury metal. Comments about mercury metal are as irrelevant as comments about *mustard* would be to a video about "mustard gas"!
This is very true. Can everyone please stop commenting about how "but they played with mercury in school and nothing happened". There is a massive difference. Also since my comment has caused so much confusion, dimethyl Mercury is an atom of elemental mercury joined to a dimethyl group (2 carbons and 6 hydrogens) meaning that it has significantly different priorities. Kinda like how hydrogen is a flammable gas, but attach 2 hydrogen atoms to an oxygen and you've got regular old water.
WOW thanks for this. I was kinda worried because I'd seen this video a long time ago and yesterday at my class a student broke his mercury thermometer and I got really worried
Hey what's the difference
@@killadomain Extreme differences; dimethyl mercury attracts to fat and easily absorbs through the skin; this is harder with elemental mercury.
@@RyanTosh thank you for answering. Just a follow up question. Would over exposure to regular mercury have a similar affect on the body?
7:47 That got me. That's incredibly sad and horrifying to think about: "There's someone inside, but that person is trapped in a prison of her own comatose body." Nothing less than a tragedy, I can only hope that with the awareness brought by this case, lives have been saved. Thank you for your work, Professor Wetterhahn.
The fact that she knew... and the possibility that there could be even a glimpse of a moment in which she was fully cognitive on the inside but felt the limbs and senses started to become unresponsive is literally making me walk around the room in fear of what such moment would feel
Hi
That's how ALS and other Neurodegenerative diseases work. It's scary
The scary thing is that she was still conscious, but neurologically trapped and unable to act.
One foot in, one foot out. Neither nor either.
Probably the worst way to go.
I have no mouth and I must scream
It's like sleep paralysis.
@@wecare9192 but you arent comfy in bed
A man got rejected from a art school... This is what happened to Europe
a boy doesnt want to become a priest a man doesnt get to be in an art school *time for world war two*
Isn’t that hitler
Hairless Chicken hitler
You really had to ruin this by editing in a thanks, its only 200 likes m8
Twice
My mother has had classic MS, which attacks the milan sheath of the nervous system since she was 31 and she’s now 91. The thought of suffering such a fate compressed into mere months is horrifying. My mother is finally in a wheelchair, but she and my 94-year-old father still enjoy life together as they finally wear out.
I think it would have been ok if you mentioned her full name,--Karen Wetterhahn, a renowned and amazing scientist.
Uh no. He can get sued and besides it's his thing with initials
Her name is widely known. He just kept to the same video format.
@@planerdude88she's an extremely public figure in modern science
@@planerdude88It’s not just his thing, it’s standard practice in human subjects research.
"Upon autopsy" I always get so heartbroken when I hear that. So many of Emu's stories make it to recovery, it always hurts to hear about the ones who don't.
Fallon Wetzel Especially given who she was... Truly a an amazing scientist and a tragic loss.
TRIX TRIX wow
TRIX TRIX that’s fucked up. Why would you say something like that?
ATLaS Because it’s true
TRIX TRIX No. It’s not. Her being amazing or not had nothing to do with her death, though she was an amazing scientist. It was the faulty safety systems put in place, that was the reason she died. She died because the dimethyl mercury got absorbed into her skin through the glove. Whether she was amazing or not wouldn’t have changed the outcome. So no, it’s not true. She is an amazing person nonetheless.
Thank god I only tend to eat 64,000 kgs of salmon in one sitting... I wouldn't want that to happen to me
@Locust Hypnosis haha that's actually what my house happens to look like, yes. Except, my bed is made entirely of salmon XD
@Locust Hypnosis all of the above. It's really hard to watch tv when all they seem to broadcast is a pale, fleshy shade of pink haha
@Locust Hypnosis haha, salmon is always on the menu! No worries, thanks to you, too 😂😋
The Mercury can slowly build up with each normal serving of salmon
@@drabnail777 STAP IT STAAAAP STAAAAAAAAAAAP STAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
I love how you also explain the meaning behind the words by using their stems. It makes the terminology so much easier to understand for us non-medical folks!
Well said
it certainly has helped me decode all these long ass medical terms!
I think this is so fascinating yet still heartbreaking at the same time. KW (aka Karen Wetterhahn) was a great mind and inspiration to many other scientists, especially female scientists (which were not common fields for women then). This just goes to show how dangerous certain chemicals can be, and in general, just how dangerous it is to be a chemist. To all of my fellow chemists, always always always always be very cautious. And to Karen Wetterhahn, thank you for the sacrifice and knowledge you have given this generation. Rest well Professor.
Not just this generation. To humanity forever.
I like how he says, "two drops" as the actor drips like 10 on her hand.
maddie that’s not what they meant “dumbass”
@maddie When was the original commenter implying it was actually mercury... Never... -_- Also, the person who replied to you meant to say "That's not what they meant"...
maddie it could be glue
@maddie why did you need to call OP a dumbass? Who hurt you?
maddie Where did they imply that is was mercury??? Oh and dumbass isn’t that big of an insult think of something better, thank you :)
That sounds so awful. Imagine losing your mind and dying because of two drops of some chemical. So cruel
That’s how dangerous the universe is
@@venix2256 I think you mean “Dimethylmercury”
@@atomicnumber8051 yes that's apart of the universe
@@brgrafs4127 true
@@venix2256 the universe is still beautiful at times though
Karen Elizabeth Wetterhahn, also known as Karen Wetterhahn Jennette, was an American professor of chemistry at Dartmouth College, New Hampshire, who specialized in toxic metal exposure. She died of mercury poisoning at the age of 48 due to accidental exposure to the organic mercury compound dimethylmercury.
I find stories like this fascinating. Scientists who know exactly what is happening to them but they still do their jobs as scientists. In a similar vein, in the 1940s, one of the leading nuclear scientists in the world lived in Nagasaki and survived the bomb but got a massive exposure to radiation. He documented his radiation sickness and that information is still used today.
*One of her former students said that "Her husband saw tears rolling down her face. I asked if she was in pain.* *The doctors said it didn't appear that her brain could even register pain."* *Wetterhahn was removed from life support and died on June 8, 1997.*
@@PP-qi1nk This video is about dimethylmercury, not Thimerosal. Other types of mercury (such as thimerosal or elemental mercury) are nowhere near as harmful as dimethylmercury.
@@PP-qi1nk Autism is better than dying of tetanus tho
@@PP-qi1nk VACCINES DO NOT CAUSE AUTISM. FFS
@@PP-qi1nk Also, autism is not a "behaviorial issue". It's a neurological difference that people are born with.
@@PP-qi1nk Oh ho ho, we got an anti-vaxxer on our hands!
This is a well-known story to us chemists. She's a hero too. Essentially okayed every form of experimental medicine and procedure that was known at the time, called medical teams super early in advance knowing she was basically going to die once it was found out that the glove type used was actually NOT good for the chemical used (contrary to what was understood at the time). A lot about mercury poisoning was learned from this case to be applied to future medical cases. It also changed procedure in how to grade PPE used for toxic organomercury compounds and other heavy metals.
Even in her dying days, she still contributed to science and safety. May she rest in peace...
@@OverseerMoti yes... R.I.P
May she Rest In Peace ❤️
Well said! She knew better than most what could be learned from this experience. And it can definitely be said she saved lives because of her contributions.
You're saying it wasn't known by anyone that this stuff penetrates latex?
This is the first time I say it in public. I am a medical student myself and this happened to me in my first year of studying. 3 years ago I was exposed to mercury intoxication which was present in fish. I felt very bad after eating the meal and immediately after 20 minutes my body reacted by vomiting all that bad food. I did not even really think it could have been an intoxication. Without any thoughts I went to sleep and nothing happened in the next days. Exactly one week later I started to have really strange discomfort in my abdominal region such as pain and cramps. I left the lecture and went home. On my way home I experienced disorientation and difficulties in my balance or motoral functions. That day I couldn't move out of my couch. I was laying there straight with only being able to move my eyes for three hours. After this my most horrific time in my life started. I called ambulances every evening straight for 4 days. The doctors could not find anything in my blood, urine, organs, x-rays, CT's, MRI's and ultrasound. Pain started in my chest, which made no sense, because there can't be any type of pain in the areas and it was not caused by any organs or muscles. Finally, after very precise examination and diagnostic tests, my doctor was able to diagnose an intoxication with fish product which was mercury. He told me that he had already a patient with the same symptoms and it took him up to three years to get back to "normal" life and health. Exactly as he told, I gained slowly my health back over three years. During this time I had extreme pain and discomfort in my whole body, fatigue, decrease of concentration and the ability to memorize things and loss of weight due to loss of appetite. All this together also created a type of depression. For you guys, I really want to remind you to pay high attention to every food and product you buy. Always check for the date of production or preparation! I don't wish anyone to experience such a horrific time in their life. I can't even imagine how Karen Wetterhahn must have felt after her intoxication. Rest in peace.
What you went through sounds horrible, and I'm glad you made it through it. I don't think it's fair to say that you went through the same thing as KW though, what you were exposed to was not dimethylmercury. If it was, you almost certainly wouldn't still be with us today. Hope med school is going well for you though! Best of luck, from a random stranger on the internet.
So sorry for what you went through. What type of fish did you eat that caused this?
I had a science teacher in my secondary school (located in a city in southwest England called Bristol). Amazing guy, Very, very smart and always adding to our learning by supplementing other general science facts which I and many others even minutely interested in the subject found utterly fascinating all the time. He told us this story about him as a young child getting a temprature reading, most of the thermometers at the time contained Mercury, this is probably sometime in the 60s/early 70s as he was in his late 50s teaching us in 2015. But he bit the thermometer too hard causing it to break releasing a few grams of pure mercury into his mouth, he was expected to pass away by most estimates or survive with severe neurological decline. Luckily he survived and amazingly even with that certain neurological decline he got a Degree in chemistry and became a teacher. Still one of my favourite teachers and I really hope he's doing well as I don't remember seeing him again after 2018. Thanks for reading, Rest in Peace KW
In high school chem class someone asked the teacher what would happen if you ate a little mercury metal. He said it would come out the other end fast enough that it probably wouldn’t do much if any damage. He wasn’t a doctor so I’m not sure how correct he was, but considering the many decades we used mercury thermometers with kids, I doubt it was a death sentence.
The most toxic aspect of metallic mercury is that it it can easily evaporate, and then be inhaled/breathed in.
metalic mercury is a lot less dangerous than organic compounds of it. Due to how comparatively badly its absorbed. Still toxic though.
I'm not certain that the mercury found in thermometers (elemental or metallic mecury) is the same as dimethylmercury
@@lalathebenificent1335 its nothing like it
It’s sad that many safety rules are written in blood. Thank you Dr.
You did a very impressive job, on explaining this!! I appreciate you for all of this ❤️ God Bless 🙏
progress is made one funeral at a time 😞
Unfortunately, no one knew in the WORLD that dimethal mercury could penetrate latex gloves. A fatal flaw obviously.
Y’know, while pondering on all this something occurred to me: There’s no telling how many people have had to die throughout history in the process of establishing laws, regulations, procedures, protocols, and practices on safety. Many safety rules are in place because someone died or was seriously/life-changingly injured.
@@129140163 If you think that's sad, consider the number of people who, to this day, must still die before many civil governments will install a traffic light.
With that much dimethyl mercury in her brain, she was lucky, or should I say extremely unlucky, to survive that long. She was an absolute legend. She kept her composure and decided we should learn from her tragedy.
My uneducated ass would have been dead in a week. I wouldn't have had enough brain matter to last as long as she did.
and all these blowhard 'wannabe-tough' guys always bragging about: tough under pressure.... this woman was the absolute epitome of tough! Hard-fucking-core! RESPECT! 'Never met a wise man, always was a wo-man..' -Kurt Cobain (I miss you GrandmaLu)
@@mostevokish calm down go talk with your friends
@@jaigoyal1382 presumptuous to think i have any isn't it?
@@mostevokish with your comments, yes yes it is
as someone who struggles with what-ifs and anxiety and ocd but still likes content like this, i really really appreciate the comments about the salmon. it helps to qualm those things and i think you should include comparisons like that and likelihoods in your videos when applicable :D
My friend, OCD and anxiety are symptoms of mercury toxicity. Lots of people have it in smaller degrees than this scientist had and it causes all kinds of physical and psychological disorders. Comes from amalgam fillings, immunizations, and other sources. I have mercury toxicity. I'm going to chelate with Andy Cutlers protocol. The IV protocols plus cilantro and chlorella are all unsafe, surprisingly.
That doctor of chemistry was so accomplished and gave her life in pursuit of research. Terrible loss. When I worked in labs, way back in the 1980’s, a problem we had was finding gloves and other safety equipment which fit. The women omen wore XS or S, but very few were ordered in those sizes. We would request more of those and fewer Large and XLarge. The reply was that each lab was stocked with what the majority of employees used. The empty box of small gloves can lead to a snap decision to use a different type of glove. Each type of material has different properties. Some might absorb liquids you’re using and others would protect you. In my case, large gloves worn to protect up to the elbow were so loose, the liquid I needed to avoid splashed inside the opening and ran down my arm. I was working with HF acid solution. Luckily, I was barely injured, but I was rushed to the hospital just in case. (my boss also threw a bucket of dilute base on me, to help and surprise me) Glove protection was just part of the problem, but there were many problems regarding what was considered average size. I hope now that the women in the lab now can have more influence over lab design, equipment layout, and accessory sizes. We were advanced enough to start earning more science degrees, but still had much to prove to gain respect. Safety can make all the difference. The situation in the video really brings back so much.
Should be mandatory to watch this video in college for any chemist course or any educational course that even has the remotest possibility of coming in contact with this form of mercury.
Its use has been long deprecated, among other reasons because of this exact accident (and because equally good alternatives exist).
This is a well-known case among Chemistry students.
I had a friend who studied chem at Sydney uni who told me a story about a girl in his prac class who pipetted potassium cyanide with her mouth. The teacher turned and saw her as she was doing it and just froze. Luckily for her, it was perfect, but as soon as she finished and took her lips of the pipette the teacher lost his shit at her. She was expelled from the course immediately. No matter how clear you are with safety instructions, consequences etc, some people will just never get it.
@@alaricgoldkuhl155 Some people take this stupidity thing to a whole new level.
@@alaricgoldkuhl155 That is horrifyingly and alarmingly stupid.
I read an article in which KW was interviewed about this incident. She didn't ignore the spill. She was wearing two pairs of latex or neoprene gloves. She saw the two drops hit her gloved hand, she immediately removed her gloves and washed her hands. She then went to the hospital and received treatment for heavy metal poisoning. It didn't help she was dying by the time the magazine article was written and new she would not survive. That stuff is so toxic that lethal dose got through the gloves in seconds and her skin and remained toxic despite immediate treatment. Keep that stuff locked up.
Jesus...
Hypothetically speaking, could sawing off her hand have saved her?
@@tsjoencinema it absorbs so fast into her blood stream it would be too late before she even realised it
@@tsjoencinema Maybe, but then there's all that loss of blood to deal with. There's also the question of how quickly does it move through the body from the initial site. By the time you get to the saw and setup it might be too late. Kind of like cyanide, once its in you it's pretty much over.
I would like to read the article. May I know the link or title of the article? or where it can be found?
You did an amazing job honoring this woman's life and contributions to society. As always, well done.
This has quickly become one of my favorite channels on YT. Karen Wetterhahn was a leader in her field and an American professor of chemistry at Dartmouth College. Great story and reporting!
Did anyone else cringe when the gloved hand rubbed the non gloved hand to see if there was anything there??🤦🏽♀️
I screwed up my face so hard like WTF
wtf is with thw emojis
@@pintilgorf you probably can't see what the emoji is supposed to be because you don't have it. That's what my phone does
Well if she literally did that when it happened then, welp, we have our answer as to why she got exposed lmao
ha ha ha ha ha yip!
She went to my high school and her chemistry professor was still there when I went there. He told us about this.
Wow!
This happened when I was a chemistry undergrad. It scared the hell out of me.
Professor in high school?
@@peppigue Kids these days. 😂 They so silly.. so stupid. 🤣
@@peppigue there are private schools that are owned by universities, with uni professors teaching the students so it's technically possible, dunno if that's the case here tho
It feel so bad knowing that someone as smart such as her didn't make it while other people doing dumb stuff gets through.
This guy speaks in the clearest voice. Even when talking somewhat fast, you know the words he's saying.
English isn't my first language and even I can understand him very well! The way he breaks down complicated scientific terms into their component parts really helps, too.
You're telling me I can't eat 144,000 pounds of salmon in one sitting?
Challenge accepted imma do it
Sure you can, but if your appetite is really that huge, it would be best for everyone if you passed away in the same manner as the scientist. Big population, limited food resources you know.
There goes my weekend plans
@@EsotericBibleSecrets your extra fun at parties aren't ya?
I wouldn't know, I never get invited to any...
The fact that she suffered... It wasn't just an immediate death and she was fully aware and trapped in her body... I just want to cry at that fact.
it reminds me of a chemistry teacher I had in high school. She was terrible at her job and so many students hated her. The students were so confused why she acted so strangely and how did she keep her job? Was it because she was old and senile? It got out that she had previous exposure to mercury and it changed her demeanor. because of the exposure she got irrationally mad, and get easily confused. It made her hair go completely white early and other symptoms I'm sure I never noticed. This video reminded me of her, I hope she's doing ok.
Maty Boi umm is that my husband hwang hyunjin 😍
Straykidstrash_ :/
For months she saw her body slowly deteriorate until she went into a coma then she was trapped in her own body. Just a conscience thinking in and on and on and on until she died
A lot of people actually die that way, but from different illnesses. Imagine heart failure, some are instant, some paralyzes half your body, 1 side. Some causes brain damage, if you live through all of these, it will be a bad story. The end of most people's lives will humble THE FUCK out of you. Welcome to life, beginning til end, good luck everyone.
I remember finding a pint sized bottle (completely full) of mercury in an abandoned paper factory when I was 13yrs old. I'll never forget how astonishingly heavy it was for the size. My friends and I thought it was coolest thing ever... We were pouring it in our hands, throwing it at each other, some of it even went the river... I don't remember what happened to that bottle. But I recall finding tiny beads of it in my bedroom carpet for VERY, very long time... This was almost 30 yrs ago, I sometimes wonder if I'll eventually pay the price for this... Then again, maybe I already am.
Metallic mercury (the kind you found) is on another planet compared to the toxicity of the mercury compound in this video. I mean it’s still not good for you and maybe you lost a brain cell or two but you’ll be fine lol. It’s like how inhaling chlorine is super deadly but ingesting chlorine when it’s in a different compound (like table salt) is fine.
@@MotorcycleWrites . . . but ingesting the compond Sodium Chloride (NaCl), table salt is fine.
@@candicezinnick3449That's what he just said.
This made me cry... She must have been so terrified as she helplessly died trapped in her breaking body. Death might have been a merciful end. I am so heartbroken for her. She died from the work she did to protect others
Reverie626 shut up
Yeah, stfu.
Fuck it I’m gonna shoot mercury into my groin
A Mercuriful end
Tyler Minegar wtf???
What a horrible way to die. I hope she was not “in there” during the last moments of her life. Trapped with no way to communicate, but fully aware and processing thoughts would be just the worst way to go.
Wasn't she, though? When she eventually develops impaired cognition at 7:43, don't know for how long until she passed away.
He said that she was trapped inside her body and she would have known what is happening sadly smh
I'd use the last cognition I did have when I realized what was destined to happen to get to a state with assisted suicide and get it over with, it would be the last thing I did while I still could.
@@cipley yes stfu
Given her specialty she might have focused on studying this rare case. Just like that Russian scientist reporting on his own death from an infectant he was studying.
The fact that dimethyl merc absorbs through the kind of gloves used in the lab seems like a huge oversight. They studied this kind of stuff, but no one thought about ensuring that the PPE they used every day would protect them from each of the substances they worked with?
This was where they learned apparently.
I love how you break down the prefixes and suffixes for words we don't know. It's a great way to learn and helps me understand other videos
Gosh this is so sad, it's actually a famous case. She followed all of the proper established safety procedures but said procedures and gloves were unknowingly insufficient. Because of her they've been updated today to prevent this in the future... at least this tragedy has a silver lining that will benefit future scientists, if not her.
ValensBellator lol nah this don’t benefit her she died
Madam curie died of radiation as well.
@@TheReaper569 She was different though she exposed herself on purpose because she believed that we shouldn't test on humans or animals unwillingly so her AND her husband ( who died in a carriage crash I believe ) exposed themselves willingly and studied the effects.
@@narthic No No No. At her time radioactivity was not fully understood especily its harmful effects. She didnt know that it was very dangerous.
I'm an RN and read years ago that the purple nitrate gloves could allow some liquids and chemicals to seep through during exposure. Some cancer medications and a few other medications are extremely toxic if skin touches them. Always be very careful with chemicals and medications, even with gloves on. Such a sad story.
Learned about this case last semester in a chemical engineering safety course. The wild part that wasn't mentioned here was that the safety data sheet that's printed on every chemical bottle stated that the type of gloves she was using was the correct material to handle it. So despite doing everything correct given what she knew, she still died. To fact check me search CSB safety dimethyl mercury
Not the wildest part, the saddest part. This wasn't a human error, this was a mistake in science that lead to the death of a prominent researcher. I learned about this event first thing in my chemistry class as a warning about material hazards and safety.
@shane I'm in steel fab so I use one of those daily...I just try and ignore the thought..
@shane it was actually a CSB video comment that brought me here. Crazy stuff.
If the type of gloves was correct, how did the mercury get through to her skin?
@@ysammo214 because it wasn't really correct, that's the 'lesson' her case gave
I like it when people make content that explains things in a way even laymen can understand them. This series, along with others like the Chevrolet videos from the 1930s are some really good ones to watch.
This story terrified me when I first started in chemistry, but it is a strong lesson to pay attention to the type of gloves you are wearing. I'm glad he mentioned silver shields in the end. Not all gloves are created equal.
Rest in pease Karen Elizabeth Wetterhahn. She passed on June 8, 1997.
This is a truly sad story. I just couldn’t help but notice the tragic irony in her last name. Karen Wetterhahn died because she “wet her hand”, w a very poisonous substance. I don’t mean to be disrespectful in any way. It’s just something that came to mind and wouldn’t go away. My deepest condolences to her husband, family and those who knew her personally. Rest well Karen.
@@robremorse im sure her relatives are laughing their asses off reading your poetry
"Prof." and "peace"
@@robremorse Do you feel any regret over this comment?
@@tonywallens217 Why? He didn't say anything disrespectful.
She played her part in advancing science, but, oh man, this story is just so sad every time I hear it.
Indeed. And it kindof terrifies me that we live in a universe with things that are this deadly!
@@alpheusmadsen8485 two drops of nicotine concentrated to the level of dimethyl mercury she was using would have killed her outright in a day. that's about the level of nicotine from 30 packs of cigarettes. the difference being when you smoke cigarettes, you aren't smoking 300 all at the same time, so your body gets a chance to process the nicotine before it builds up enough toxicity to become lethal. that said, I would still rather have gotten the immediate kill from the nicotine, instead of the long, drawn out, brain shutdown she experienced. that is probably the worst way to die I can imagine.
I love how you always give a word of warning but without any fear mongering. Here to educate not scare
I love how you break down words like you did for _dysmentria_ you use a lot of words I've never heard and I love learning new vocab! Your channel ROCKS!!!!
Man, the most terrifying part is that it went through her glove immediately.
Yes, I watched to the end (which I rarely do) to see exactly what gloves could have saved her life. I use nitrile gloves once in a while and I swear stuff like acetone feels like it goes right thru.
@@thzzzt Same, unfortunately not all gloves provide the same protection. Acetone, DCM, DMF, and THF all go through nitrile gloves pretty quickly. I think DMSO does too but it's not that toxic, although it dissolves so many other chemicals that it provides a way for more toxic compounds to get into the body.
thzzzt acetone feels like that regardless of what gloves you wear. Because it boils off your hand
O.P. Yates Yeah THF is nasty. Sometimes DMSO almost smells like olives to me. I mostly use the deuterated form for NMR but maybe that smells different than normal DMSO?
How expensive is the hair test? If cheap it seems like doing that monthly for persons that work with organic mercury is a good idea.
Dude you are awesome ... the fact that you .. 1. explained the mercury toxicity 2. Physiology of cerebellum 3. Basic pharmacokinetics concept All in such an interactive way. I dont think people realise how genius your case discussions are. Thank you.
Agreed . He is a treasure.
@@thomassutherland5188 totally
Are you a doctor or pharmacist?
@@George30302 Almost doctor aka med student
@@MrJunomein Very nice... It's truly a dream come true to become doctor after clearing AIPMT and Neet...All the best di for future endeavours 👍🏻
I was a dental nurse for years in the 1970-80's and handled mercury every time a filling was needed, in fact my rings used to turn dull. In fact we used to play with it. This was in the days when the alloy & mercury was mixed by hand. I've never had any side effects though, why would this be. I went on to become an RN & shudder to think back how casually we treated the mercury. Best wishes from Australia.
Thankfully, the skin (and GI tract) absorbs metallic mercury very poorly. Inhaling it is a different story though
Not the same mercury. Refer to comments above such as: "NOTE: This video is about DIMETHYL MERCURY LIQUID and not mercury metal. Comments about mercury metal are as irrelevant as comments about mustard would be to a video about "mustard gas"!" "This is very true. Can everyone please stop commenting about how "but they played with mercury in school and nothing happened". There is a massive difference." "Also since my comment has caused so much confusion, dimethyl Mercury is an atom of elemental mercury joined to a dimethyl group (2 carbons and 6 hydrogens) meaning that it has significantly different priorities. Kinda like how hydrogen is a flammable gas, but attach 2 hydrogen atoms to an oxygen and you've got regular old water." "Extreme differences; dimethyl mercury attracts to fat and easily absorbs through the skin; this is harder with elemental mercury."
@@dracasweetThis should have been made clear at the beginning of the video. It never is.
@@bojens865 I agree
So late to this video but I found this channel a couple days ago and it's really cool I've been watching them back to back before bed it's such good work presented really nicely and professionally
I like how you get into the point instead of clickbaiting
Ilovetheblob forreal this guy is good af... straight with the title start literally it’s the first sentence.. this guys a good ass youtuber
I almost didn't click because of the title
If only every single video was like that
ilovedeblob It's what you call interesting titles or eyecatching presentation. Clickbait is pretty much writing A Celebrity Nude Leaked as the title while the video itself is just a 10-minutes long video of emptiness.
And kev dog...maybe you should hit the library to expand your vocabulary lol
"kw noticed something wrong when she would walk into walls" GIRL
it be like dat sometimes doe
😂
Ernie the Giant Chicken ok
I'm just wondering how wide the walls were? Like, beams in the video or a whole ass wall?
I think, given her background, at that point she had likely already deduced what was causing the problem, and she knew there was not much that could be done for her. that's what makes this story so crushing
When i was in 12th grade, my chemistry teacher was showing in lab about some phenolic compound which goes to solid state at room temperature and becomes liquid when it's heated. He also told it's highly flammable and not to play with it. By this time i had already kept it aside in spatula and it spilled on my hand. I washed my hads immediately and my skin became pale. I showed to the chemistry teacher and told the phenolic compound fell on my hand, he scolded and opened a jar with a base chemical that can absorb the acidic compound that fell on my hand. He took the powder and held my hand inside that. After sometime he removed and told me to go take rest and observe if anything happens. I kept observing my fingers and i saw a burned dot forming on tip of my finger. He didn't put the base powder on my finger tips. Since it was just small burn the size of a mole i ignored it and everything went back to normal. If the chemistry teacher didn't act on time, i would have been handicapped. Always remember not to wash hands if you touched anything acidic. You need to neutralize with base.
I really enjoy this channel because the Doctor goes straight to the point on a professional and easy to understand manner. Thank you, Doc.
"How should i handle dimethyl merc-" "YOU DONT"
No this is what you should do if you’re a scientist. If you spell the stuff on your glove our hands immediately go to the hospital and get it checked out
@@xacobthegreat2335 thanks doctor obvious
i broke a lightbulb a few days ago by accident and though i took a literal cdc level cleanup i’m shook
@@ethenoodle1 Dimethyl Mercury isn't the same as elemental (pure) Mercury, which is far less dangerous.
Some things are just not to be touched
Lesson learned don’t fuck with mercury
That's the thing though, not all mercury is created equal. Ethyl mercury isn't the same as Methyl mercury. Ethyl mercury safely leaves the body. Methyl mercury sticks around much longer, which isn't good. I suppose this could have been explained better in this video, but in the end the message should be to take as many precautions as possible when handling chemicals known to harm living tissues.
unless your cody's lab, the dude lives and breathes mercury
I Wear A Fez Now was thinking the same thing this whole video 😂 pretty sure he bathes in it
When i was a kid i held mercury in my hands and played with it my dad was really angry when he caugth me being stupid so i think it explains why im so retarded xD
elemental mercury is safe to handle as long as you dont get any inside you (cuts, etc) not sure where you got hold of mercury at a young age though
being trapped in a body that's unresponsive is probably my biggest fear. What a terrible fate for someone so intelligent.
From a med student I have to thank you for the clinical cases you give in your videos, thanks a lot 💓💓💓💓
This is scarier than those horror stories.
Leh yeah
Ikr, this could happen to anyone if they mishandled or underestimate the danger of these materials.
Cause it is real
R.I.P. Karen Wetterhahn 1948 - 1997
The only Karen that knew chemistry :(
Truly one of the best humanity has to offer. Godspeed, KW.
@@Varkolyx stay classy
The only Karen we respect
The mother of all karens
I still think this is the best video on this channel. It's the most interesting case and is extremely well made and presented.
What a loss, and a horrible way to pass. I really hope it wasn't as bad for her as it sounds like it was. I am glad they implemented safety measures to make sure this never happens to someone again.
Fuck man, that must be so scary to go through. Slowly becoming a vegetable, and then becoming a vegetable. Being stuck in your head, not being able to use your body, but you're still aware. Truly a nightmare come true.
Sounds like watching Fox News
Dazed too true man 😂😂😂
hold my breath as i wish for death, oh please god wake me!
Oh man if you hate this then read flowers for Charlie, truly suffocating
Dazed 😂 so true
That's really sad. The idea of being trapped in your increasingly-disabling body and only being able to let out cries or moans periodically is so horrible. RIP for that woman.
Not RIP for that woman , it is : Let Her RIP / may her soul RIP . A minute of silence for her story .
@@ssksleepyboy Nah just Rip
Agreed. Have you ever read the book watched the movie The Diving Bell and the Butterfly?
@@ssksleepyboy dont be a dick
She now in heaven...May god bless her.
Thank you for your wonderful lectures! You don’t talk down to us. You deliver such knowledge about our bodies that no one else has ever done like you. I have bipolar II, and watching your videos keep my flashbacks away because your videos are so full of deep, abiding knowledge that can save lives. You are magnificent for teaching us valuable information about the human body, and nature of humans. I love when you mess up your hair!🌺👩🏻🦳
Thank you so much for this video it was super helpful and very sad to know KW had this experience.
Just discovered this channel a few days ago. Really enjoy these case studies and the scientific approach to their presentation.
That's why i'm subscribed these vids are really entertaining
These videos could easily be a TV show. I would watch it!
Okay, don't touch anything, ever. That's what I've learned.
Bradon Hoover yes!
Don't get MRIs with contrast CT scans with contrast immunizations fillings or anything else..
Bradon Hoover but how did you write this comment??
dont touch anything, dont kiss anyone or god forbid have sex with anyone, dont even breathe as it will make you uglier - and more lessons i’ve learned from these kind of videos!
Wanna play tag lol
This lady helped save thousands if not millions of people going through this. I wish she could have known how much good she did ❤
I love the way he explains the meaning of each medical term by breaking it down
Me too sure helps out
Indeed
Right!??
Facts
And that's why he has over 12 million views on just this one video. People enjoy understanding these types of concepts but don't have a teacher that can express it in the proper way/ in laymans terms. Chubbyemu does just that, if not a bit dryly though
Think about how many lives she has saved because of what we learned from her.
Unfortunately since he said there are only a few recorded cases, probably not many. As time progressed though, I'm sure she will save lives
@@harryleiter6164 he was saying how many people will be way more careful around mercury
Lol, about how useful women are in stem
@@americanjoe5486 I heard stories my father in hight school told me there was a guy that had some in his locker and it fale and broke and the guy didnt know it and his hair and teeth fale out .🤔
@@erex9875 organic mercury is very different to elemental mercury used in thermometers etc so it doesnt come into contact with many people. Only scientists specializing in organometallic chemistry deal with it so luckily the risk to people is low.
Rest in Peace, you helped the scientific community till' the death. 🙏 You got my respect and admiration as well.
This was the first video of yours I watched and it hooked me. Fantastic explanation and a wonderful channel.
I have never been more afraid to touch anything in my entire life
Agreed :/
crunchy limestone you eating worst everyday you just fo not feel it yet!!!
med kiss no you’re not eating anything worse than mercury smh
med kiss no
med kiss no just no.....
When I saw the title I immediately knew who KW was and what was to become of her, I think there is few people in the chemistry community who don't know her story. Thank you for the in-depth explanation of what happened.
That's enough internet for one night
That's enough science for tonight...
The English Gentleman Lmao 😂
How I’m ending tonight
SUGAKOOKIESWITH ACUPOFTAE army btw
@@yumiaffirmations7083 yayy armies are everywhere
I really enjoy your content, you are clearly very educated but have a great way of explaining things in a way I can understand them. Thank You!
Thank you for sharing this. I found you on Rumble. You speak well.
The thought that hospital staff caught a glimpse of the true suffering during her random short bursts screaming, crying, and flailing, surrounded by much longer periods of unresponsiveness...that always gets to me.
Cases such as this is one of the few times assisted suicide should be legal. Assisted Suicide should be THE final thing to consider and she was not living anymore, only suffering. As much as I want to live, if I were in the same situation and had the opportunity to off myself in a way that isn't messy, I or my next of kin would have taken that option.
She should've offed herself.
Same here I can't even wrap my head around it that is just tragic
The body feels pain even I the brain doesn't seem to respond.
What if the nurse sent her home without seeing a dr. Playing Dr prevents early treatment, costs lives
It's so hard to wrap my head around, and so scary, that a drop of something falling on a GLOVED hand for a few seconds could result in something like this 5 months later. Mind blowing. Fascinating video as always
And the fact that they didn't know Latex was insufficient is really troubling. Karen did everything exactly as she should have: she removed the gloves immediately, washed her hands, and went straight to the hospital for heavy metal poisoning. But if you had a drop or 2 of dimethylmercury on your hand when you wrote this comment, you would probably already be dead.
@@MisterFribble I honestly can't believe the small contact was enough to kill. Chemicals are scary
The dimethyl moiety in the pipette spilled on my dorsum causing ataxic gait..🧟
I know right bro, it’s scary
@@badmonkey2222 do what lol?
Wow! Fascinating, instructive and tragic. Thank you for these videos. Along with a wealth of knowledge on the topic, you have a real knack for dramatic presentation, a talent and a skill. Keep 'em coming. The distraction is good medicine. Cheers!
I love the fact that you split the words with an explanation. Karen bless you… 🙏
And this is why you report all chemical spills and exposures to your lab manager, no matter how small or insignificant you think it is. I should make this mandatory watching for my lab.
That wouldn't work, since it would acclimate the lab manger to the idea that most reported to him/her are harmless, and may result in spills receiving less attention than they should. Unfortunately there is no solution here that is more simple than making sure all lab employees understand and regularly review the relevant chemistry and safety procedures.
@@L1Run Well, (good) IT always says that each and every suspicious event should be reported, be it an unexplained webcam light or a harmless spam mail. Because almost always it is noting, but that one time there is something wrong, you know it immediately. Referring to iron monkey, I don't know if there would have been hope for rescue after the exposure, but the chances are better the sooner you treat it. Reviewing the safety protocols and prosedures as well as executing utmost care should just be augmented by tighter reporting habits, never replaced. Prevention is paramount, anything else is damage control. :)
@@NochSoEinKaddiFan Well, you didn't say every suspicious spill. You said every spill no matter how small or insignificant.
@@L1Run You might not have to report spilling water or something the potency of vinegar, but if we start talking sulfuric acid it might be good to know. Just in case you didn't leave the place spotless or there are still gases lingering and there is a potentially dangerous reaction with components of the following experiment. I'd rather report more than not enough, just in case.
@@NochSoEinKaddiFan I agree with that. You don't have to report insignificant spills. You do have to report ones that need reporting. That's kind of what I was saying - that there is no simplistic militant solution to this. Education is really the only answer. Make sure that the lab employees know the difference between methylcellulose and HFIP, and what needs to be done in those cases, etc.
in conclusion; we need much better gloves.
MibMoot Make robots do it.
Mr. W then make them take over.
There's no such thing as "better gloves," because with all the variety of chemicals out there, you'd make a glove that's impervious to one type of chemical but susceptible to another. In this case, I bet these gloves were great against, say, acids, but their structure let in organic mercury. Chemicals are funny things.
MibMoot yup :p
minetruly, double layered!
Very interesting, informative and worthwhile video. It's always prudent to exercise caution in any laboratory setting.
This is only the second video that's I've watched on this channel but time to sub. Some good things being presented.
I was just going to eat 68.000 kilograms of salmon in one siting thanks for saving my life!
I'm pretty sure your stomach would rupture first.
Darth Bacon you're* ;)
Tovarsul Now that's embarrassing.. i'm usually very aware about my spelling to avoid just that! I guess, me too, am stupid as a pile of bricks. :)
If I was in a wheelchair it would be much easier to eat that amount of salmon without getting up.
I can eat maybe 3 pounds, and save your life whilst doing it :-) friends??... give me salmon?
“Take care of yourself, and be well.” me: *puts down tabasco bottle filled with dimethyl mercury*
There goes my Friday
_yeet_
I was loading a bowl of ice when he said that :/
yngfljm did you quit your meth habit yet
I hope you had properly disposed of it as per hazardous material...
How do people hear "dimethylmercury/organic mercury" and go like "i pLaYeD wItH mErCuRy aS a kID it'S nOt dAngErOuS" mercury and dimethylmercury aren't the same, just like how dogs and labradors aren't the same.
exactly like especially when it has a difference in name. the “dimethyl” is important lol
Dang this is crazy. Seems like such a small amount. The body can be so frail yet strong depending on the circumstances. The fact it took her so long to die is scary.
Well, that was a depressing way to go to bed. Why did I watch this?!
Yesica1993 Same. It has you think about some awful shit and now it’s hard to go to bed
same😐
It's not too late to watch a Finger Family or chocolate egg surprise opening video...
Same here at 12:05 am :(
I fucked up on my brain right now
I remember reading about this. She was a well known and highly respected professor who was following all protocols. Unbeknownst to her (and the entire research field) was that the gloves that were prescribed to be worn when working with this do not prevent it from permeating to the skin. Tests after her poisoning showed that dimethylmercury permeated the gloves in as little as 15 seconds. This is really nasty sh*t
Was the illness caused from the mercury appeared quickly or slowly? Sorry for bad english
Just say shit you pussy
So she died or survived and if survived she will stabilize or not?
@@lomek4559 Did you watch video? Do word "autopsy" tells you anything?
What I don't understand is why those gloves wasn't tested before someone died ^^
I love your tutorials,inspirational,and educational, thank you very much!
Note to commenters: Mercury in a thermostat is not dimethyl mercury.