Mercury poisoning and UFO sightings

We are surprised to find in the St Paul Pioneer Press a reference to a little-known episode in Charlotte Brontë's life ('little-known' for laymen in Brontë matters, that is). Her mercury poisoning at the end of 1851 and beginning of 1852.

But mercury as medicine? Indeed, mercury was most commonly used in the 18th and 19th centuries but also right up to the 1950s. It came in two ways: mercurous chloride, known as calomel; and as liquid mercury pulverized into microscopic globules, known as "blue mass" or the "blue pill." [...]
Many persons were poisoned by medicinal mercury in those days; some of the famous ones included Robert Burns, Franz Schubert, Isak Dinesen, Niccolo Paganini, Charlotte Bronte, Louisa May Alcott. (Norbert Hirschhorn)

Here's what Charlotte herself wrote to Margaret Wooler at the time:

My Doctor called the next day; he said the headache from which I was suffering arose from inertness in the liver--prescribed some alternative pills and promised to call again in a week. I took the pills duly and truly--hoping for benefit--but every day I grew worse--before the week was over I was very ill--unable to swallow any nourishment except a few teaspoonsful of liquid per diem, my mouth became sore, my teeth loose, my tongue swelled; raw and ulcerated while water welled continually into my mouth. I knew by this time that Mercury had formed an ingredient in the alterative pills and that I was suffering from its effects. When my Doctor came and found me in this condition he was much shocked and startled; a result had been found which he had not intended, nor anticipated: according to him the dose of 'blue pill' he had given was not sufficient to salivate a child--and he talked much about exceptional sensitiveness of constitution &c. (Charlotte Brontë to Margaret Wooler, 20 January 1852)

To continue with the strange occurrences, this is what a blogger on SeattlePi reports:

Upon recommendation by my friend, Margaret, I tried to reserve "Jane Eyre" at our library's website. When I called up the book, the description said, "May contain content about UFO sightings". I immediately wrote Margaret an angry email and said, "I thought you said 'Jane Eyre' was a CLASSIC."
Actually I didn't do that. (Christina Hyun)

Perhaps the person who wrote the description got a little lost in that part where Rochester jokes about the 'green people'.

Categories: Charlotte Brontë, Jane Eyre, Weirdo