title: [Fortunes and misfortunes of a metal].
abstract: The history of amalgam (which essentially consists of mercury and silver) is briefly reviewed, from its origin through different civilizations. The various ways by which silver was extracted during colonial times are mentioned; credit for invention of the method, however, still remains unknown. Finally, the study lists the purposes for which the amalgam was originally used, mainly for the benefit of the mining industry, and only much later introduced into medicine and hence onto odontology.
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sanfilippo
mesh_terms: D003723:Dental Amalgam / Q000266:history*; D049669:History, 16th Century; D049670:History, 17th Century; D049671:History, 18th Century; D049672:History, 19th Century; D008628:Mercury / Q000266:history; D008669:Metallurgy / Q000266:history; D008800:Mexico; D012834:Silver / Q000266:history
chemical_list: D012834:Silver; D003723:Dental Amalgam; D008628:Mercury
vernacular_title: Venturas y desventuras de un metal.