Memories - OUCH !!!

Mercurochrome didn't hurt as much as Merthiolate - I remember that !  

Mom probably still has a bottle in her medicine stash - I'd bet money on it !!  

They contained MERCURY!!

Merthiolate is a mercury-containing substance that was once widely used as germ-killer and a preservative in many different products, including vaccines. Merthiolate poisoning occurs when large amounts of the substance are swallowed or come in contact with your skin.

It's funny the things we didn't know would hurt us when we were little (even though our parents were BIG!)  I can remember that dad had a bottle of ACTUAL mercury up in the cupboard, and every once in awhile he would get it down, and pour a little "puddle" out on the counter or floor, and we would crouch down around it, and move it with our fingers.  It was silver, and would move and separate.  We thought it was so so cool.  I don't remember him ever telling us it was poison (I'm sure he didn't know then?) - or to wash our hands after we were done (maybe he did tell us and I just don't remember).  

We definitely didn't want Merthiolate  on our owies - because it would sting like the dickens.  We didn't pronounce it with the "R" either - it was either Macurachrome, or Muthiolate.