Mercury use (WAS RE: hospital surplus)

[Tony Duell]

> I don't believe that anyone's mentioned mercury arc rectifiers yet as one 
> application of mercury (and of course fascinating to watch!). (Did any early 

Nobody's mentioned thyratrons (gas-filled triodes/tetrodes) either. I 
suspect the thyratrons used in ring counters, etc, were always inert gas 
(and not mercury vapour) ones, does anyone know for sure?

-tony