(urth) Fuligin?

[Gerry Quinn]

On 16/07/2014 17:25, Jeffery Wilson clueland.com wrote:
> On 7/16/2014 10:56 AM, DAVID STOCKHOFF wrote:
>
> > And I doubt there would be a
>> common term for it anyway---who would have it sitting around the house?
>
> People whose homes contain Emerald Tablets and homunculi, and other 
> 20th century electrical conveniences like electric eyes and metal 
> detectors, or whose homes are rocketships crammed full of eternally 
> repaired ancient gear that might include mercury switches, mercury 
> balances, mercury bearings, et cetera.  Autarch Severian is both, and 
> then some.

For the educated classes in the Commonwealth, the substance would be 
reasonably familiar,  Probably not so much for the common people, But I 
don't see any issue with the use of a new technical name for it.  Mars 
and Venus have new names, why not mercury?

Also, if Severian is familiar with mercury, shouldn't he explain to us 
why hydrargyrum is superior for weighting swords?

If it's not different, what does it matter if it is something else? 
Sure, some future EPA may have banned the use of mercury, but if so it's 
been replaced by a new material that to all intents and purposes is 
exactly the same!

- Gerry Quinn