The Pink Disease Support Group was founded by Heather Thiele in 1989. Heather's aim was to collect information regarding Pink Disease, provide information and support to other survivors of Pink Disease, and to publicize the health problems associated with Post Pink Disease Syndrome.

The group also provides quarterly newsletters, email chat groups for those with Pink Disease and/or bronchiectasis, and is continuing to research Post Pink Disease Syndrome, and Pink Disease itself.

PINK DISEASE is babyhood mercury poisoning. Some babies are hyper-sensitive to mercury, and if those babies are exposed to mercury, they get Pink Disease. The most commonly used product containing mercury WAS teething powder, but other products frequently used on babies also contained mercury.

The symptoms include weepy red rash, peeling skin, lethargy, anaemia, sensitivity to light, respiritory distress and general ill health. Various estimates put the death rate from Pink Disease at between 10% and 33% but anecdotal evidence suggests that it may have been much higher, at least in some areas.

After it was discovered that mercury was the cause of Pink Disease in 1947, mercury was removed from all teething powders and Pink Disease became rare.

An information gathering exercise by the Pink Disease Support Group has revealed a higher than average incidence auto-immune disorders, Bronchiectasis, Solar Urticaria, chemical sensitivities, allergies, eye and mouth problems, infertility, co-ordination difficulties, poor health, and a proneness to emotional and psychiatric disorders.

Pink Disease is also known as acrodynia, Erythoedema, Feer's Disease, Swift's Disease, and infantile Mercury (Hg) poisoning.

BRONCHIECTASIS is a chronic lung disorder.

It is generally caused by an infection such as whooping cough, Pink Disease, pneumonia, measles, tuberculosis or cancer. The infection causes obstruction of the bronchi resulting in lung secretions accumulating and weakening the walls of the bronchi which dilate.

The symptoms may include -

1. lung congestion;
   
2. coughing up large amounts of putrid secretions;
   
3. low grade fever;
   
4. breathlessness;
   
5. cyanosis (bluish skin colour);
   
6. deteriorating health;
   
7. night sweats; and
   
8. severe and chronic bronchitis and asthma.

The disease usually starts in childhood but may not show itself until adulthood.

SURVEY

If you had Pink Disease, Bronchiectasis OR any of the ailments mentioned above, or have suffered from mercury poisoning, please complete the Survey. Your name and address are OPTIONAL.

THE SURVEY IS CURRENTLY OFFLINE.

There have been some problems with the survey. It does not display properly on some browsers. A survey which can be printed out has therefore been added to this site.