31 Of The Most Bizarre Trends Of The 50s And 60s

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Using Mercurochrome for first aid

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Scraped knee? Skinned elbow? Scratched shin? Mercurochrome to the rescue! The pinkish-red tincture, along with Band-Aids, was a medicine cabinet staple in the 1950s and 1960s, for just about any ouch-ie. But, this go-to wound disinfectant was not only notorious for its crazy sting, pungent smell, and incredible staining power, it also contained mercury (hence, the name). Mercury poisoning, as the US FDA eventually learned, causes a range of effects, including muscle weakness, nausea and vomiting, difficulty breathing, among many others. As mercury builds up in the bloodstream, it can cause damage to a number of internal organs, too. For these reasons, Mercurochrome was banned for sale in the US in 1998.