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'Alice in Wonderland': Johnny Depp on why the Mad Hatter is really mad
Johnny Depp went into great detail at the "Alice in Wonderland" junket on Saturday (Feb. 20) to explains his affinity for -- and his development of -- the madcap milliner, the Mad Hatter.
Seems the hatter's crazy behavior -- and the phrase 'mad as a hatter' has a basis in fact. The mercury used in the trade of hat-making caused irreversible brain damage and it was common for hatters to develop mental, physical and emotional problems.
The mercury solution was used -- not in the glue -- but in the process of turning fur into felt and was subsequently breathed in by the hatters, who would exhibit trembling, loss of coordination, slurred speech, loosening of teeth, memory loss, depression, anxiety, etc.
Depp decided to explore the tragic nature of the Mad Hatter: "This guy was damaged goods, physically and emotionally obtuse. He decided that as opposed to being a "hyperactive nutty guy," we should explore "all sides of his personality at extreme levels, from levity to... dangerous rage."
And the mercury also explains why the Hatter was "investigating things beginning with the letter M."
"It was interesting trying to map it out," Depp explains. Burton then jumps in, "Being a Disney movie, we decided not to focus too much on the mercury poisoning aspect." Cue nervous laughter.
There are still modern concerns about mercury poisoning coming from higher levels found in the fish we eat, as well as in paint, pesticides, mercury tooth fillings, cosmetics, floor waxes, batteries, air conditioning filers, fabric softeners, talc and body powder.
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And we continue to put mercury in our teeth and flu vaccines?? The American Dental Association and FDA tell us the mercury/silver fillings are safe. And the national Institutes of Health tell us the mercury is a safe preservative in flu shots. Have we learned nothing from history? Go to IAOMT.ORG to learn more.
Mercury is in all probability the major factor, but certainly not the only factor, in causing most neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s, MS, ALS and Parkinson’s Disease. This is explained in detail in the Petition to Reconsider filed with the FDA.
Go to http://www.iaomt.org/articles/category_view.asp?intReleaseID=314&catid=30 beginning at page 25 for the science to support the connection between mercury and neurological disorders.
Mercury/silver fillings are by far the largest source of mercury, unless you are fortunate enough to have never had them. The International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology (IAOMT) is the primary organization pushing this issue with the FDA by demanding the ban of mercury/silver fillings.
If you are considering to have your mercury fillings removed be sure your dentist uses procedures to insure minimal exposure to the mercury vapor created by drilling into the fillings to remove them.
Most dentist do not realize this is dangerous, not only to the patient, but also the dental staff.
Go to http://www.iaomt.org/articles/category_view.asp?intReleaseID=288&catid=30
for the best written removal protocol.
Keep working, great job! I honestly appreciate your time that you have put to write this post
Mercury poisoning from mercury dental amalgams is a real thing. It is belived that genetically, some people cannot excrete high levels of mercury from their bodies. This leads to mercury poisoning in people who have 10 or more mercury fillings over a few years.
Consumer's for Dental Choice are pushing a bill, HR 4011 to get mercury dental fillings banned legislatively. The bill was brought out by Congresswoman Diane Watson of California, and we could use your help to spread the word. We need more sponsors for bill so contact your local Congresspeople and tell them that as their constituent you support HR 4011, and tell them to contact Ms. Watson's office in Washington D.C. to learn more so they could become a sponsor to the bill.
Please go to this website to learn more: www.toxicteeth.org
Sincerely,
Scott Rossi.
Thank you for acknowledging the the link between mental illness and exposure ot mercury vapors, particularly The general population doesn't even know their fillings are 50% mercury. I was acutely poisoned by mercury when I had a silver colored filling, half mercury, removed and replaced with another. I was struck with double vision, drooping eyelids and loss of equilibrium. The doctors misdiagnosed me with Multiple Sclerosis, Lupus and then Myathenia Gravis, all devestating autoimmune diseases. They told me that I would be sick for the rest of my life. I recovered slowly after having my fillings removed by a mercury-free dentist. see: www.iaomt.org for a list of dentists in your area.
The science confirms that these fillings emit significant levels of neurotoxic mercury, and mercury is injurious to human health. This mercury from fillings would certainly exacerbate and probably is the cause of Alzheimer=s, MS, Parkinson's, autism and ALS (Lou Gerhig's Disease). The synergistic effects of mercury with many of the toxicants commonly found in our environment make the danger of mercury unpredictable and possibly quite severe, especially any mixture containing elemental mercury, organic mercury, and other heavy metal such as lead and aluminum.
If the FDA continues to be subservient to the wish of the ADA, it ultimately is going to completely destroy those shreds of public respect that it still enjoys. If this agency continues to ignore and attempt to hide the science in regard to the enormous negative impact mercury from fillings is having on this country, the FDA will completely decimate what is left of its reputation. This is particularly true in regard to Alzheimer's disease. The science is overwhelming in regard to the probable connection between mercury and Alzheimer's not to mention MS and ALS and many mental illnesses, including depression, anxiety and bi-polar.
Currently the FDA is reconsidering their July'09 classification of amalgam, in which they ostensibly claimed that there were no risks. However, they do allude in their classification that there may be harm from mercury fillings to the fetus and young children. This has been proven over and over by scientific evidence. Norway, Sweden and Denmark took heed of these facts and have banned the use of mercury products including dental amalgam.
The evidence that mercury fillings are the greatest source for the average citizen has been detailed elsewhere in the Petition for Reconsideration filed agains the FDA classification. The fact is that many American baby boomers have been walking around with several grams of mercury releasing dental amalgams in their mouths for decades because they were children during the heyday of placing amalgam fillings. I am a perfect example of this practice, I had 12 teeth completely filled with mercury.
What's the chance of Johnny Depp coming on board as a spokesperson to help bring pubic awareness that mercury is a neurotoxin and does not belong in the human body.According to the World Health Organization, mercury from dental fillings is the largest source of mercury exposure to humans.
Photos of what I looked like from mercury toxicity and my story can be read at:
http://www.toxicteeth.org/forms/mainLineToday.pdf
Thank you for your consideration.
Freya Koss
Wynnewood, PA
Mercury is a biotoxin, yet it
is used in at least half of the dental fillings placed
in the U.S. Mercury wears down the immune system so that by mid-life, many people
become ill with neurological diseases.Even the unborn are
affected. Dentistry needs to
eliminate mercury.
I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 1981. 3 hospitalizations, 8 different medications including oral and intravenous chemotherapy for MS, experimental Plasmaphoresis, bedridden for 10 years, slurred speech and dying. I had my dental amalgam mercury "silver" fillings removed and guess what? All symptoms gradually disappeared, NO medication, NO relapses, NO symptoms, except this left me in a wheelchair! Improvement started to happen 2 weeks after all amalgam fillings were removed. Prior to mercury dental removal I had 1 to 3 relapses per year and haven't had 1 relapse since 1989. I was "MERCURY POISONED".
Linda Brocato
DAMS-IL
P.S. Johnny Depp be our Spokesperson!
Its true, but the history behind it makes it just that much creepier. Too bad this movie wasn't a little creepier :(