"The Alchymist, In Search of the Philosopher's Stone" painted by Joseph Wright in 1717.
I’ve been haunted for some time now by a 19th century affliction known as “phossy jaw.” To understand what it is, you have to know a little bit about the element phosphorous. It was supposedly first isolated in 1669, by a German alchemist named Hennig Brand, although other sources mention Arabic scientists as having discovered it earlier.
Anyway, Brand gets the credit. He stumbled across it by dumb luck as he was trying to create the philosopher’s stone (believed to offer the possessor immortality). He boiled up 60 buckets of urine, which contains traces of dissolved phosphates, and then distilled what was left over. The resulting white, waxy substance glowed in the dark. He called it phosphor after a Greek word that means “light bearer.”
Nowadays phosphorous is derived from other sources (like prehistoric deposits of dead animals and ancient bird droppings), so chemists no longer have to boil up vats of urine.
Phosphorous is a highly toxic and incendiary substance, and is still used in modern warfare. Back in the 19th century, it was used to make matches. Early matches, known as “lucifers,” had a lot of problems, among them, a disgusting odor. In 1830, Frenchman Charles Sauria coated lucifers with phosphorous, which helped diminish the odor, but which contained enough toxins in one pack to kill a person.
Workers in match factories—primarily women—were exposed to the deadly white phosphorous. Many of these “mixers,” “dippers,” and “boxers” developed a grotesque affliction that became known as “phossy jaw.” The jawbone was destroyed by chronic exposure to phosphorous, which resulted in swollen gums, abscesses, and a gradual disfigurement of the jaw bone. After prolonged exposure they experienced convulsions, general debility, and lung hemorrhage. I’d include a picture but it’s too gross. You can google it.