Which metal is associated with two diseases named Pink disease and Minamata disease?

• A. Mercury
• B. Lead
• C. Cadmium
• D. Arsenic

Answer: (A)

Mercury exposure links these two conditions. Pink disease, or acrodynia, is mercurial poisoning in children caused by inorganic mercury salts found in some older teething powders and medicinal preparations; it presents with pink discoloration of the face and extremities, irritability, excessive sweating, swollen and tender gums, and other systemic symptoms. Minamata disease is chronic mercury poisoning from methylmercury released into the environment and accumulated in fish; it primarily affects the nervous system, leading to ataxia, numbness, tremors, vision and hearing loss, and in severe cases severe neurological impairment. The shared thread is mercury’s disruptive impact on cellular enzymes and neural tissue, producing distinct but mercury-linked disease patterns.