As further examples, elemental mercury, radium, and phosphorous were also used as medicines even when they did not have redeeming medicinal uses.<p>Eg, Lincoln took mercury pills ( <a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;news.nationalgeographic.com&#x2F;news&#x2F;2001&#x2F;07&#x2F;0717_lincoln.html" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;news.nationalgeographic.com&#x2F;news&#x2F;2001&#x2F;07&#x2F;0717_lincoln...</a> ) , radium cures were the thing in the 1920s ( <a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.museumofquackery.com&#x2F;devices&#x2F;radium.htm" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.museumofquackery.com&#x2F;devices&#x2F;radium.htm</a> ), and in <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;news.ycombinator.com&#x2F;item?id=8701117" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;news.ycombinator.com&#x2F;item?id=8701117</a> I mention an account 1931 account of a man who had been &quot;prescribed tonic pills that contained both elemental phosphorous and strychnine&quot;. After taking them for 27 years later, he had an advanced case of phossy jaw from the phosphorous.