Looks like it did contain mercury and was banned in 1998 sadly. It worked for me and the whole family.
Yeah, well, mercury is really not a good thing when it gets into the body. Surprised it was on the market even that long. There are different forms and some can be absorbed through the skin...
And yes, as a kid, I did play with mercury in my bare hands (as I am sure many of you did). Pure (elemental) mercury won't penetrate in-tact skin. So there is that. But I probably wouldn't do it again... why push luck? It is a fascinating material, holding a liquid metal which is cold and heavy.