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The 13th Element: The Sordid Tale of Murder, Fire, and Phosphorus, by John Emsley
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The incredible ""glowing"" history of the ""Devil's element ""phosphorus
Discovered by alchemists, prescribed by apothecaries, exploited by ninth-century industrialists, and abused by twentieth-century combatants, the chemical element phosphorus has fascinated us for more than three centuries. It may even be the cause of will-o'-the wisps and spontaneous human combustion! Now John Emsley has written an enthralling account of this eerily luminescent element. Shining with wonderful nuggets-from murders-by-phosphorus to a match factory strike; from the firebombing of Hamburg to the deadly compounds derived from phosphorus today-The 13th Element weaves together a rich tableau of brilliant and oddball characters, social upheavals, and bizarre events.
- Sales Rank: #358928 in Books
- Published on: 2002-01-04
- Original language: English
- Number of items: 1
- Dimensions: 7.76" h x .95" w x 5.26" l, .78 pounds
- Binding: Paperback
- 352 pages
From the Inside Flap
The 13th Element It was discovered by alchemists, prescribed by apothecaries, exploited by the industrialists of the nineteenth century, and abused by the combatants of the twentieth century. For more than 300 years, phosphorus-one of nature's deadliest creations-has continued to fascinate us with the many surprising roles it has played in human history. Now, award-winning author John Emsley combines his gift for storytelling with his scientific expertise to present an enthralling account of this eerily luminescent element. First unleashed in the mid-1600s in Hamburg, Germany, when alchemist Hannig Brandt distilled it from human urine, phosphorus was hailed as one of the secret substances of the "philosopher's stone" and a marvelous cure-all. However, it soon became known as the "devil's element" by causing more curses than cures. Although phosphorus matches (called lucifers) were considered "the greatest boon and blessing to come to mankind in the nineteenth century," the women and children who made them endured dangerous and unbearable working conditions and, eventually, the rasping pain of phossy jaw. During World War I, the bum damage done by phosphorus was horrific. During World War II, the Nazis turned phosphorus into chemical agents far more powerful in disabling people than any other war gas. It has for centuries been used as a murderous poison. Whenever man has wanted to commit evil, phosphorus has often been there to help him. But set against these tales of woe are the remarkable benefits of phosphorus. It can be found in many things that have improved our everyday life, from toothpaste to detergents to food additives. And it can also cause wonder; phosphorus is the likely cause of mysterious lights, graveyard ghosts, and spontaneous human combustion! From murders-by-phosphorus where the bodies glowed green to the match factory strike that helped end child labor in England, to the irony of the World War II firebombing of Hamburg, to even deadlier compounds derived from phosphorus today. The 13th Element weaves together a rich tableau of brilliant and oddball characters, social upheavals, and curious, bizarre, and horrific events that comprise the surprising 300-year history of nature's most nefarious element.
From the Back Cover
This is popular science at its best, a great subject, unfolded with the skill of the storyteller; at once a mine of information and a thoroughly good read."
–The Sunday Times (London)
"This well-written book is an examination of the very character of all chemicals."
–The Sunday Telegraph (London)
Discovered by alchemists, prescribed by apothecaries, exploited by nineteenth-century industrialists, and abused by twentieth-century combatants, phosphorus is one of nature’s deadliest–and most fascinating–creations. Now award-winning author John Emsley combines his gift for storytelling with his scientific expertise to present an enthralling account of this eerily luminescent element. From murders-by-phosphorus where the bodies glowed green, to the match factory strike that helped end child labor in England, to the irony of the World War II firebombing of Hamburg, to even deadlier compounds derived from phosphorus today, The 13th Element weaves together a rich tableau of brilliant and oddball characters, social upheavals, and curious, bizarre, and horrific events that comprise the surprising 300-year history of nature’s most nefarious element.
About the Author
JOHN EMSLEY is Science Writer in Residence at both Cambridge University and Imperial College of London University. He has won the prestigious Rhone-Poulenc Prize for best science book of the year, was an editor of New Scientist magazine, and wrote a science column for the Independent newspaper.
Most helpful customer reviews
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful.
Elemental phosphorus...
By K. L Sadler
This book was so interesting that I rammed right through it, in spite of being in the midst of moving! I've been on a kick of reading books about elements lately...which is probably good because I can always use this information in the classes I teach. Part of it is wanting to understand how these elements were discovered, and their uses and misuses over the years. Part of it is I've been reading about the Victorian Age and wanted to know more about the problems that they obviously had with chemicals in their environment and in the foods and medications. Apparently phosphorus was a huge part of the problem. If you've read Dickens or some of the other writers from that period, you know a little bit about children working in bad situations. Apparently, the matchmaking industry which was big at this point made a point of using children and teens and young women, who of course, suffered the dire consequences of working with phosphorus (fossy or phossy jaw).
This book was chock full of research. The book talks about how phosphorus was originally obtained through use of urine. It wasn't until the late 1800's that a process was found to abstract phosphorus from minerals. Phosphorus is a very important mineral for human beings. We need it for our bones, but as with most things in the body...it's moderation in all things. Too much of even a good thing is going to end up badly. This book covers all of the dangers of phosphorus, almost too much so. The research is phenomenal, as is the story...but there are some parts that were repetitive. I noticed several places where the author was repeating himself, maybe to draw attention to the facts...but it was too much. The book is quite long anyway, so there was no need to make it longer.
Of course, knowing man's propensity to use anything new they find for weapons, someone got the smart idea of using phosphorus in weapons. This is covered well in the book. The firebombing of Germany was enough to make me cringe. I hope people remember there were atrocities on both sides. I've read plenty on the wrongs of Germany during WWII but that particular chapter of war history on our part is horrendous.
Terrific book, very worth reading.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful.
If you teach chemistry, you must read this book!
By Kindle Customer
Fascinating reading about the mysteries of phosphorus. This covers everthing you wanted to know about phosphorus and more! By the time you finish this book you'll know how phosphorus was discovered, how it contributes to eutrophication (and what exactly eutrophication is, anyway), the symptoms of "phossy jaw", how a match is made, and many other fascinating facts about phosphorus. The author has resisted making this a "fact a page" list, and has put together the history of phosphorus in an ejoyable, coherent fashion. If you love books about chemistry, you'll have trouble putting this one down.
27 of 27 people found the following review helpful.
Elementally Fascinating
By Rob Hardy
There are countless processes and materials that cycle through to keep life cycles on Earth going. Is there one material that is the bottleneck, the thing that limits populations and growth? Surprisingly, there is a "supreme ruler" that if diminished slows all life down, no matter what the availability of other chemicals is. That bottleneck chemical is phosphorus. According to _The Thirteenth Element: The Sordid Tale of Murder, Fire, and Phosphorus_ (John Wiley & Sons) by John Emsley, phosphorus is essential for, among other things, being the backbone of DNA and forming the basic chemistry for biological storage and use of energy. It does not get replenished by circulation as the other big four do; carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen all can circulate in the atmosphere or by water. It cannot be "fixed" from the atmosphere into the soil by microbes, as nitrogen can. Phosphorus does have its cycles, but they are slow, like the one that includes it being washed from the soil into the sea, forming part of the sea bed, and then in millions of years being lifted up as rock to form new land. The main land-based cycle is simply from soil to plants to animals and via urine, feces, or decomposition, back to soil again. Cultivation of land means that phosphorus in plants is exported away, and does not get re-deposited into the soil. Crops grown on the same land deplete it of other vital chemicals, but the one that is lost forever without deliberate replacement is phosphorus; this was not known until the nineteenth century. It was found that using bone meal as a fertilizer was effective, but it was originally assumed that the calcium in its calcium phosphate was the cause.
Emsley has good fun describing the ins and outs of phosphorus, but his book is particularly wide-ranging. He explains why the phosphorus in detergents is not really as bad as we once thought. He explains that it has been used as a medicine for centuries, even though it never cured anyone of anything. He tells stories of phosphorus as a poison, used as such successfully by many dissatisfied husbands and wives, some of whom were particularly skillful at the use of the element in this way, having practiced on a succession of spouses. Much of the book is devoted to the nasty properties of phosphorus, such as the horrid disease of "phossy jaw" which afflicted those in the matchmaking trade, or the distressing effects of nerve gas or phosphorous bombs.
So, like so many things, phosphorus is neither good nor bad, but is essential and can be used in many admirable or detestable ways. Emsley takes us through many of them in a wide-ranging book that not only covers the science of his element, but also the social forces in such activities as the advertising of matches and the social reforms which improved the safety of the matchmakers. He has many previous credits as a science writer, and clearly and vividly describes the history and both the dramatic and quotidian effects of an essential, ubiquitous, and dangerous element.
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