Extremely interesting and educational BBC story of Thomas Midgley-- whi
From
Archimedes Plutonium@21:1/5 to
All on Wed Sep 20 22:16:42 2023
--- quoting the BBC on Thomas Midgley who was a wrecking ball of the environment ---
Why did we use leaded petrol for so long?
Published
28 August 2017
Chemist Thomas Midgley
IMAGE SOURCE, SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY
Image caption,
Chemist Thomas Midgley insisted that tetraethyl lead was safe
By Tim Harford
BBC World Service, 50 Things That Made the Modern Economy
Leaded petrol was safe. Its inventor was sure of it.
Facing sceptical reporters at a press conference in October 1924, Thomas Midgley dramatically produced a container of tetraethyl lead - the additive in question - and washed his hands in it.
"I'm not taking any chance whatever," Midgley declared. "Nor would I... doing that every day."
Midgley was - perhaps - being a little disingenuous. He had recently spent several months in Florida, recuperating from lead poisoning.
Some of those who'd made Midgley's invention hadn't been so lucky, which is why reporters were interested.
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Programme image for 50 Things That Made the Modern Econo