The original formulation of Bromo-Seltzer included sodium bromide (NaBr) for its sedative effects. Bromides were pulled from the shelves in the 1970s as they were discovered to be toxic! Seems like capitalists have been trying to poison us for years.

Bromine compounds are still used in veterinary medicine as anticonvulsants.

Bromine, much like its sister elements fluorine and chlorine, is both corrosive and highly reactive. At room temperature it is a brownish-red liquid. Mercury is the only other element that is liquid at room temperature. It’s a metal of course while bromine is a non-metal. Specifically it is a halogen.

The largest commercial use for bromine is in flame retardants. Tetrabromobisphenol-A for example is used in, believe it or not, circuit boards. The stuff is incorporated directly into the plastics and resins to make them fire resistant. All sorts of textiles used in clothing, furniture, and upholstery are infused with BFRs (brominated flame retardants) or related chemicals.

Bromine is extracted from seawater and inland brines. The Dead Sea between Israel and Jordan is a major source. Worldwide production is about 600,000 tonnes.