The Dark History of Matches

TL;DR

Phossy jaw, a debilitating condition caused by white phosphorus, plagued match factory workers in the 19th century and resurfaced as a side effect of bisphosphonate medication in modern medicine.

Transcript

[♩INTRO] In the mid-1800s, factories began mass-producing matches. Lots of them were hugely successful, and pretty soon, they were selling millions of matchboxes a year. And then the factory workers — many of whom were young women — started dying. The symptoms would often start with a toothache and jaw pain and then progress to tissue death. In som... Read More

Key Insights

• 🧑‍🏭 Phossy jaw, caused by white phosphorus in matches, affected match factory workers in the 19th century, leading to severe jaw infections and bone rot.
• 🧑‍🏭 The activism and strike of match factory workers in 1888 helped bring attention to the widespread issue of phossy jaw.
• 👨‍🦳 Red phosphorus matches, discovered around 1850, provided a safer alternative and eventually replaced white phosphorus matches in most countries.
• ☠️ Bisphosphonate medication, used for bone diseases, can have the side effect of bis-phossy jaw, causing tissue death in the jawbone.
• 🥺 The legacy of the matchstick girls' strike lives on, as their activism led to improvements in worker conditions and increased awareness of occupational hazards.
• 🤍 Despite the banning of white phosphorus matches in many countries, other industries still use white phosphorus.
• ✳️ Bis-phossy jaw remains a known side effect of bisphosphonates, but the benefits of the medication often outweigh the risk for patients.

Questions & Answers

Q: What caused phossy jaw in match factory workers?

Phossy jaw was caused by the use of white phosphorus in matches, which combined with body fluids to create bisphosphonates that suppressed bone cell activity, leading to tissue death in the jawbone.

Q: How did the match factory workers' strike bring attention to phossy jaw?

The match factory workers' strike in 1888 highlighted the terrible conditions faced by the workers, including the risk of phossy jaw, and brought global attention to the issue, leading to the development of safer red phosphorus matches.

Q: What are bisphosphonates and how are they related to phossy jaw?

Bisphosphonates are medications prescribed for bone diseases. They can cause tissue death in the jawbone, similar to phossy jaw, due to their suppression of bone cell activity.

Q: Is bis-phossy jaw still a prevalent issue?

Bis-phossy jaw is still a known side effect of bisphosphonate medication. While the benefits often outweigh the risk, patients at risk are closely monitored for symptoms of bis-phossy jaw.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• In the mid-1800s, match factory workers, particularly young women, developed phossy jaw due to white phosphorus used in matches, causing severe jaw infections and bone rot.

• The activism and strike of match factory workers in 1888 brought attention to the phossy jaw problem and eventually led to the use of safer red phosphorus matches.

• Bisphosphonates, prescribed for bone diseases, can also cause tissue death in the jawbone, resulting in a condition known as bis-phossy jaw.