How did lighthouses get fresh water?
How did lighthouses get fresh water? Keepers often took advantage of rainfall by utilizing a cistern, a tank designed to collect rainwater and store it for use in cooking, bathing, and drinking. The Keepers' House at the St. Augustine Light Station features a cistern in the basement.
Why did lighthouse keepers go mad?
When dust, dirt or other impurities built up in the mercury, part of the light house keeper's job was to strain the mercury through a fine cloth. Though not understood at the time, mercury is a deadly poison. One of the symptoms of mercury poisoning can be the onset of madness.