I am interested in bridging symptoms of bristles, fibers and hairs projecting from the skin in association with a bug or worm crawling sensation (originally described by Sir Thomas Browne in association with the Languedoc region and expanded on in Kellett 1935) to mercury exposure. The production of draperies correlates well and I theorized the use of cinnabar in dyes, but have yet to confirm.
The subject of toxic pigment is extremely interesting. My personal favorite as a painter in oils is orpament, an arsenic compound.
I apologize for not answering your question. I am very interested in whatever answers come along, however. Maybe a chemist interested in history?
Karl
Historian of Ancient Regime Languedoc, I never found mentions of cinnabar in vintage texts. Should you know the translation of "cinnabar" in occitan linguage ?
I do not know the translation for the occitan language.
In the Allery Mackel published in 1532, Mainz, Germany, cinnabar is mentioned in dye recipes for the color red. Rossetti in the Plictho of 1548, Florence, Italy, refers to at least two recipes using cinnabar. I found reference to cinnabar being mined below the city of Montpellier, so it would have been available.
I wonder if you have heard of other references during the later renaissance of the Languedoc area mentioning "The Morgellons" ? These symptoms appear to have been common in Langudoc during this time frame.
The difficulty is that I work about economic and social history of the rural spaces of Languedoc and mediterranean France. And I don't know people working about medical history : it's a topic which is a little abandonned in our universities.
I sometimes find occurences of tinctorial plants or technics : the "pastel" (for the blue), the "garance" (for the red), for example.
I am looking for the words "cinnabar" and "morgellon" in occitan. If I find something, I will contact you.
"The Morgellons" is what Sir Thomas Browne called this condition and is likely an anglicized version of what those in Languedoc were calling this medical condition If it is widespread mercury poisoning, as my research suggest, it would have impacted the social history; there are patterned behaviors in populations with mercury poisoning (such as increased suicide rate). Also, if the exposure to mercury is often prenatal and due to mothers being exposed to cinnabar in fabric dying, this may indicate sexual division of labor in the drapery industry. Thank you for your interest in my research.
Cinnabar is "cinobro" in occitan and I have no match in my archives notes.
No match no more fore mercury poisoning.
Perhaps should you have indications in Gilbert Larguier, Le drap et le grain en Languedoc. Narbonne et Narbonnais (1300-1789). Claude Marquié has worked a lot on drapery industry around Carcassonne for early modern times.
What I notice in the 16th century drapery of rural spaces is a strong structuration of the activity. People in charge of colouring the fabric were called "teinteurs" or "pareurs de draps". I wrote a paper about this. But all I can distinguish is the pluryactivity of the "low qualified jobs" : peasants during the fine weather, preparers in the whool drapery during the winter.
It's much more difficult to see the sexual division of labor. But I have some datas for the 18th century.
If you haven't looked at this article by Kellett in 1935 ( http://penelope.uchicago.edu/letter/kellett.html) , I think you will find it fascinating; it was the primary reason I pursued looking at patterning associating the symptoms of- fibers projecting from skin and crawling sensation (often discussed as bugs or worms)- in association with mercury exposure. For the Langudoc region, the use of cinnabar in dyes is the best explanation for exposure.
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