Lewis Carroll's character of the Mad Hatter in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland is modeled after the hat makers of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries who were heavily exposed to mercury used in the preparation of felt. Because of this mercury poisoning, these hat makers developed

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The use of mercury in the hat-making process led to mercury poisoning, which could cause various health issues, including neurological damage. This neurological damage could manifest as psychosis due to brain damage, reflecting the symptoms historically associated with "mad hatters."

Lewis Carroll's Character of the Mad Hatter in Alice's Adventures