“Uniquely stupid” isn’t a recent American phenomenon.
Chemist Thomas Midgely Jr. was the inventor of two worldwide environmental disasters, and a personal mechanical one.
Tetra-ethyl lead (TEL) additives for automotive fuels to reduce engine knocking and improve fuel economy. Midgely received the prestigious Nichols Prize from the American Chemical Society (ACS) in 1923, but was so sick from lead poisoning he couldn’t attend the ceremony. The toxic effects of lead were well known at the time, but the large profits to made from TEL were just irresistible.
Building on his success with TEL, Midgely moved on to the invention of Freon for use as a refrigerant, earning another prestigious award, the Perkins Medal from the Society of Chemical Industry. Decades later Freon was found to be burning a hole in the ozone layer and increasing the incidence of skin cancer.
In 1940, at the age of 51, Midgley contracted polio, which left him severely disabled. He devised an elaborate system of ropes and pulleys to lift himself out of bed. In 1944, he became entangled in the device himself, and died of strangulation.
Midgley’s legacy has been scarred by the negative environmental impact of leaded gasoline and Freon.[24] Environmental historian J. R. McNeill opined that Midgley “had more impact on the atmosphere than any other single organism in Earth’s history”,[25] and Bill Bryson remarked that Midgley possessed “an instinct for the regrettable that was almost uncanny”.[26] Use of leaded gasoline, which he invented, released large quantities of lead into the atmosphere all over the world.[24] High atmospheric lead levels have been linked with serious long-term health problems from childhood, including neurological impairment,[27][28][29] and with increased levels of violence and criminality in America[30][31][32][33] and around the world.[34][35] Time magazine included both leaded gasoline and CFCs on its list of “The 50 Worst Inventions”.[36]
Midgley died three decades before the ozone-depleting and greenhouse gas effects of CFCs in the atmosphere became widely known.[37] In 1987, the Montreal Protocol phased out the use of CFCs like Freon.[38]
TEL was estimated to cause over 1 million premature deaths per year, worldwide until it was largely phased out in the 1970’s. We still use TEL today in the US in aviation fuel for small, piston-driven airplanes. Hobby flying is just that much fun.
Let’s not confuse “stupid” with “greed”, although they’re often partners and walk hand-in-hand.
As the OP states, the effects were unknown until decades later. The inventions met a need. Same thing with Thalidomide and DES.
Entirely different scenario from where a PE group buys a company, and, intentionally, sucks all the capital out, then dumps it into liquidation, cheating all the employees and vendors, because the intent going in was to rob everyone else for the PE group’s benefit.
Thomas Midgely Jr. invented useful chemicals for which he was rightly honored. The widespread harmful effects weren’t discovered until later. The decision to continue to market harmful products has nothing to do with their invention – it was a business decision. The corporate managers, not Midgely were to blame for continuing to sell the products once the harms were discovered.
Similar situations are the marketing of tobacco and sugar-laden processed food products which kills millions and is ongoing today. Don’t blame the inventors – blame the marketers.
Now, if you want someone to blame, which you often seem to enjoy so much, let me introduce one of the most controversial figures in scientific history: Fritz Haber. He invented the incredibly useful process of converting atmospheric nitrogen into fertilizer, saving billions from starvation to this day. But he also invented poison gas and supervised the lethal testing on French prisoners of war (causing his wife to commit suicide). Haber walked into his evil with his eyes open since his intent was to torturously kill as many humans as possible. You really CAN blame Haber…but you also have to balance that against the ongoing benefits of the Haber-Bosch Process.
As the OP states, the effects were unknown until decades later. The inventions met a need. Same thing with Thalidomide and DES.
From the original post:
Tetra-ethyl lead (TEL) additives for automotive fuels to reduce engine knocking and improve fuel economy. Midgely received the prestigious Nichols Prize from the American Chemical Society (ACS) in 1923, but was so sick from lead poisoning he couldn’t attend the ceremony. The toxic effects of lead were well known at the time, but the large profits to made from TEL were just irresistible.
Let’s not confuse “stupid” with “greed”, although they’re often partners and walk hand-in-hand.
AW
I was at that wedding, Mr. and Mrs. Corrupt. She was not in a white dress. The wedding was in the winter of 1981. The reverend signed the marriage certificate as President of the United States of America. The older couple are in the middle of a divorce currently, the grandchildren get everything. They have different ideas.
The toxic effects of lead were well known at the time, but the large profits to made from TEL were just irresistible.
Yeah I was going to say after watching the video, Midgely got lead poisoning early on and knew to avoid his product as much as possible. Even Benjamin Franklin knew lead was a very toxic poison according to the video. There was no surprise factor for Midgely. His only surprise was the moment he hung himself with another of his inventions.
AW: “The toxic effects of lead were well known at the time, but the large profits to made from TEL were just irresistible.”
I am glad you pointed that out while I was hiking yesterday. GM marketed leaded gas long after they knew it was poisoning the environment and sickening and killing people. They are often ‘credited’ for creating the template for the reality denial industry which was ‘improved upon’ by Philip Morris.
I didn’t watch the video, but Midgely poisoned himself on purpose in order to demonstrate the safety of his product.
Not the history according to the video. Midgely early on just being around the lead got poisoned. People for centuries have known lead will poison you. Midgely went to relax for six months or so ansd recover from the poisoning. He was wanted on the speaking circuit to promote leaded gasoline. He refused because he knew he’d be poisoned being around it again. He only did one demonstration later to sell the product. He was lying like a rug about its safety to gain the profits.
1) Tetra-ethyl lead (TEL) additives for automotive fuels to reduce engine knocking and improve fuel economy. Midgely received the prestigious Nichols Prize from the American Chemical Society (ACS) in 1923, but was so sick from lead poisoning he couldn’t attend the ceremony. The toxic effects of lead were well known at the time, but the large profits to made from TEL were just irresistible.
This seems like revisionist history. The toxic effects of lead might have been known, but people were burning coal for heat. Life was more difficult, and the risk/reward decisions were different. Applying the lessons of the 1960s environmental movement (Silent Spring, 1962) to the very different 1920s era is misleading. It took more than 50 years to phase out lead’s use in gasoline, paint, and the water supply. Over these 50 years, the US became wealthier and so could more easily make these environmental choices. Blaming someone for millions of deaths should be put in a more reasonable historical context. Maybe mention that lead was widely used in other products at the time.
A timeline in the US:
1920s TEL extensively used as a gasoline additive.
1975 Gradual phase-out of leaded gasoline starts.
1978 Manufacture of lead-based house paint banned.
1986 Lead-free solder for plumbing is mandated.
Thomas Midgely Jr. invented useful chemicals for which he was rightly honored. The widespread harmful effects weren’t discovered until later. The decision to continue to market harmful products has nothing to do with their invention – it was a business decision. The corporate managers, not Midgely were to blame for continuing to sell the products once the harms were discovered.
Midgely was the #2 executive at the General Motors Chemical Company (GMCC), not some junior lab rat. And his invention, which he fully knew was harmful since he nearly died of lead poisoning himself, killed more people than Hitler.
In April 1923, General Motors created the General Motors Chemical Company (GMCC) to supervise the production of TEL by the DuPont company. Kettering was elected as president, and Midgley was vice president. However, after two deaths and several cases of lead poisoning at the TEL prototype plant in Dayton, Ohio, the staff at Dayton was said in 1924 to be “depressed to the point of considering giving up the whole tetraethyl lead program”.[8] Over the course of the next year, eight more people died at DuPont’s plant in Deepwater, New Jersey.[11]
The story of Clair Patterson, a CalTech geochemist is equally frightening. Ethyl and Exxon led a smear campaign against him as the world’s leading expert on “lead in the environment”.
According to Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lead_poisoning#History), lead poisoning was documented in the 2nd century BC by Greek botanist Nicander, over 2000 years before the Leaded Gas Era. He must have been turning over in his grave.
I believe that today’s excessive consumption of junk food (especially during a viral pandemic) will someday be viewed in a similar light as leaded gas is viewed today. Unfortunately, that someday may be centuries away.
This seems like revisionist history. The toxic effects of lead might have been known, but people were burning coal for heat. Life was more difficult, and the risk/reward decisions were different. Applying the lessons of the 1960s environmental movement (Silent Spring, 1962) to the very different 1920s era is misleading. It took more than 50 years to phase out lead’s use in gasoline, paint, and the water supply. Over these 50 years, the US became wealthier and so could more easily make these environmental choices. Blaming someone for millions of deaths should be put in a more reasonable historical context. Maybe mention that lead was widely used in other products at the time.
Let’s not white wash the greed and corruption of corporations.
They knew many of the ill effects of their products and hide the truth from the public, and they kept science revelations from seeing the light of day or they were dismissed as bad science. Corporations have the money and the control the news media and the politicians.
Leaded gasoline would never have allowed if the public had been told the truth. Did the auto/oil companies ever ask the public: Do you want lead poisoning from gasoline additives or autos that must be designed to not ping without lead additives?
Corporations keep hiding secrets even today. We have learned that EXXON and other oil majors have lied to the public that their products by stating that they do not pollute the air with toxins and greenhouse gas emissions.
Yes life is easier with polluting fossil fuels, but when does the public get to say it is wanted over healthier lives?
Jaak
P.S. - Greed is evident on this board with people advocating others to invest in dirty energy instead of clean energy.
The toxic effects of lead were well known at the time, but the large profits to made from TEL were just irresistible.
Yet lead was used in water pipes for decades, without harmful effects, until the city of Flint cheeped out on water treatment, and the corrosive water started freeing the lead from the pipes and into the water city residents were drinking. Same thing happened in Benton Harbor, MI.
Yet lead was used in water pipes for decades, without harmful effects,
Well, the “without harmful effects” part of that statement is entirely untrue. Why do you think the lead and copper rule was implemented in the first place? The use of corrosion control chemicals (phosphates, mostly) to stop lead leaching from lead pipes has been around for a long time. Flint isn’t the only place that has had this problem. Big one in D.C.
I didn't watch the video, but Midgely poisoned himself on purpose in order to demonstrate the safety of his product.
Not the history according to the video. Midgely early on just being around the lead got poisoned.
From wiki:
On October 30, 1924, Midgley participated in a press conference to demonstrate the apparent safety of TEL, in which he poured TEL over his hands, placed a bottle of the chemical under his nose, and inhaled its vapor for 60 seconds, declaring that he could do this every day without succumbing to any problems.[9][14] However, the State of New Jersey ordered the Bayway plant to be closed a few days later, and Jersey Standard was forbidden to manufacture TEL again without state permission. **Midgley would later have to take leave of absence from work after being diagnosed with lead poisoning.**
Like several of us here, I am a chemist (and biologist) by training. Midgely poisoning himself in a publicity stunt to demonstrate the safety of TEL is a fairly famous incident in our industry.
The Romans used lead pipes, that’s where the word “Plumbing” comes from Pb = Lead!
Plumbing discovery reveals the rise and fall of the Roman Empire
Ancient lead pollution in a Roman harbor shows the city’s fortunes grew with its pipes.
The ancient Roman plumbing system was a legendary achievement in civil engineering, bringing fresh water to urbanites from hundreds of kilometers away. Wealthy Romans had hot and cold running water, as well as a sewage system that whisked waste away. Then, about 2,200 years ago, the waterworks got an upgrade: the discovery of lead pipes (called fistulae in Latin) meant the entire system could be expanded dramatically. The city’s infatuation with lead pipes led to the popular (and disputed) theory that Rome fell due to lead poisoning. Now, a new study reveals that the city’s lead plumbing infrastructure was at its biggest and most complicated during the centuries leading up to the empire’s peak.
On October 30, 1924, Midgley participated in a press conference to demonstrate the apparent safety of TEL, in which he poured TEL over his hands, placed a bottle of the chemical under his nose, and inhaled its vapor for 60 seconds, declaring that he could do this every day without succumbing to any problems.[9][14] However, the State of New Jersey ordered the Bayway plant to be closed a few days later, and Jersey Standard was forbidden to manufacture TEL again without state permission. Midgley would later have to take leave of absence from work after being diagnosed with lead poisoning.
Syke,
This would have been the second time he was poisoned. This stunt is discussed in the video without the claim that it also poisoned him. Midgely was poisoned earlier as he developed the use of lead. That is why he only did one publicity stunt as described above.
So it’s not just the direct lead poisoning that matters, it’s all the knock on effects. Increased violent crime increases societal paranoia and repression. Stupid laws get passed. Cops respond with increased violence. Etc., etc., etc.