Mad As a Hatter
if someone says you are mad as a hatter, they are accusing you of being quite irrational. the sense of madness here is “suffering from a disorder of the mind; insane.” this phrase usually refers not to someone who is actually insane, but rather to a more normal person who is behaving in an irrational way.
the phrase emerged in england in the 19th century. hatmakers in those days used a lot of felt that was treated with chemicals including lead, -rs-nic, and mercury.
unfortunately, those chemicals are highly toxic. the symptoms of such poisoning include palsy, confused speech, and distorted thinking. today, making hats is a much safer profession, but the phrase survives.
an interesting alternate explanation of the phrase derives hatter from anglo-saxon atter (poison), which is related to adder (a poisonous snake whose bite was thought to cause insanity).
you are mad as a hatter!
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