Eliodoro Mercado

Legacy The "Mercado mixture," named after him, was a treatment for leprosy first developed in the Philippines. It consists of 60 cubic centimeters of chaulmoogra oil, camphorated oil, and 4 grams of resorcin. While it initially showed promise with a high recovery rate, according to Heiser in 1914, many patients experienced relapses. Later reports indicated some improvement or arrest of the disease, but the method was painful and not considered a cure. Nevertheless, the mixture was considered a milestone in further studies on the therapeutic effects of chaulmoogra oil.

Heiser took most of the credit for the "Mercado mixture," which led to his nomination for the 1931 Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine. Philippine biographer and historian Carlos Quirino stated: