23 Aug
2006
23 Aug
'06
4:15 p.m.
The really old turn-of-the-century books have the kids
using sulfuric acid,
Sulphuric acid is not _that_ dangerous, particularly if dilute. Mind you,
I once had a long argument with a medical doctor who tried to convice me
that hydrochloric acid is toxic. I wonder what he thought was in my stomach?
mercury, lead and lead salts,...
At least one of my old electrical books -- I think it's 'Harpers
Electricity Book for Boys' dating from 1907 [1] -- has you doing gold
plating using gold and potassium cyanides (!).
[1] Yes, it's an original, not the Lindsay reprint. And it's not the
oldest electrical book I own. I have a few books on electric bells and
telephones dating from before 1900. Yes, I like old books...
Sometimes I think we're a bit overprotective.
Well, the darn govenrment is, that's for sure.
-tony