When ether saw the light of Day

摘要

I wrote a few years ago about 'ozonised oils', disinfectants produced by the action of oxygen on natural materials such as turpentine. The active ingredients are hydroperoxides, and the alleged link with the grandest oxidant of all - ozone - was nothing more than an excellent piece of marketing. Conceived late in the 19th century, the 'ozonised oils' lasted well into the 20th century, and the leading proponent was one Charles Kingzett (1852-1934). As welL as running a flourishing business producing his 'Sanitas' products, Kingzett was one of the younger fellows of the Chemical Society of London, who attempted, in the mid-1870s, to reform that body. Since many FCSs cited their fellowship in support of claims to professional expertise, the reformists wanted to add a qualifying function to the Chemical Society membership. In this they failed, but their aim was achieved in the formation of the Institute of Chemistry, after which our own Institute was modelled. It was not until the 1970s that the Royal Society of Chemistry incorporated the scholarly and qualifying functions by merging with several then-existing societies.