Apparently, Abraham Lincoln was poisoned by elemental mercury by taking pills.

While this article (link below) makes recovering from mercury sound too easy, it contains a highly ironic statement:

Physicians in the 1800s did not know that mercury is a powerful neurotoxin. Once ingested, mercury binds to molecules in the central nervous system and can cause behavioral problems.

I love the condescending tone they use; oh those unenlightened 19th century physicians who were ignorant about mercury. Thank God we're advanced enough in the 21st century to know enough not to put mercury in people's mouths.

Right? Right?

http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/linc.html