Thomas Midgley Jr.

This next scientist created a few experiments that lead to the production of a certain product. Although this product was thought to be wonderful at first it turned out that it killed hundreds and caused extensive damage to the earth. In other words, Ms. Stoklosa would probably not like him very much. Thomas Midgley Jr. discovered that when tetraethyl lead was added to gasoline it prevented the engine from internal combustion. Gm began using the "new gasoline' to sell it, and avoided any reference of lead in the gasoline. Due to the wide usage of the gas, huge amounts of lead were released into the atmosphere, and many people suffered from health problems around the world. Midgley himself had to take a long vacation because he suffered from lead poisoning. In 1923 the General Motors Chemical Company was created to produce tetraethyl lead gas. However production was very slow because people kept dying at the factory from lead poisoning. Dissatisfied with the results GM created a new plant for production, which used a more dangerous high temperature ethyl chloride process. Within two months of the plants opening some people around the area suffered from hallucinations, insanity, and five died. At a press conference Midgley wanted to demonstrate that ethyl lead was not dangerous so he dipped his hands in it, and inhaled it for a whole minute. At the age of 51 Midgley contracted polio, which left him disabled. His last invention was a pulley system to help get him in and out of his bed. This experiment also backfired on him and he ended up getting tangled in it, and died from suffocation.