>> You heat it so the mercury fumes off, and bubble the 
>> fumes
>> through water to condense them. You end up with a bubble
>> of mercury under the water

> All the rage on the banks of South American rivers. Still 
> more
> likely in a Hemingway novel than recovering mercury from 
> an
> intestine straightening. Wow, there's a job description

According to Josephus, Jews escaping from Jerusalem in 70 AD 
before the city was taken and the temple razed, were found 
by non-Jewish locals (Roman-camp camp followers) to be 
sorting through excrement to recover jewels that they had 
swallowed before fleeing. Subsequently all escapees were 
disembowelled to recover whatever 'treasure' they may have 
swallowed for a while until the Romans managed to stop it 
happening.

Those attempting to flee the city were killed as traitors by 
local management if possible. Those who did escape had to 
run the gauntlet to safety. Most in the city were massacred 
when the Temple (a superb fortress in its own right) was 
overrun.


        R



-- 
http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive
View/change your membership options at
http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist