Ten fun facts about Thomas Midgeley Jr.

Fact 1
He graduated from Cornell University in 1911 with a degree in mechanical engineering.

Fact 2
He worked for General Motors and part of a research group under GM where he discovered a substance called 'ethyl'.

Fact 3
In 1923 he was awarded the Nichols Medal by the American Chemical Society.

Fact 4
He contracted lead poisoning in 1923 and took a long 'vacation' to cure himself from it.

Fact 5
9 people died at one of the plants because of lead poisoning from ethyl, his discovery, and their prototype plants.

Fact 6
His work caused a large quantity of lead to be released in the air from the combustion of leaded gasoline.

Fact 7
Unfortunately his work has been the basis of many long-term health problems and has had more of an adverse affect than anything.

Fact 8
Since he was left disabled in 1940, he created a system of pulleys and strings to lift himself into bed. This caused him to get tangled and die of strangulation.

Fact 9
He received several awards and two honorary degrees including the Priestley Medal and the Willard Gibbs Award.

Fact 10
In 1923 he was made vice president of the General Motors Chemical Company but after the deaths from lead poisoning, he was relieved of his position in 1925.

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