Petite histoire de l’allumette. Little story of matchsticks.

            For Looking close on Friday!
Theme: Matchsticks.

Des friction lights de John Walker aux lucifers de Samuel Jones
Le pharmacien John Walker est celui qui a inventé, en 1827, la première allumette qui s’allume par friction, comme on la connaît aujourd’hui. S’inspirant des travaux d’un physicien et chimiste irlandais, Robert Boyle, il imagine un mélange qui, par friction sur une surface rugueuse, peut s’enflammer. En bon scientifique qu’il était, et ne voulant pas faire connaître le procédé de sa découverte, il refuse de la breveter, se contentant de commercialiser lui-même son produit, et de vaquer à ses occupations de pharmacien, botaniste et minéralogiste. Ce procédé de fabrication des allumettes finit par être breveté sous le nom de lucifers par un certain Samuel Jones. Les lucifers présentaient néanmoins de nombreux problèmes : flamme instable et violente, odeur désagréable. On dit que malgré tous ces désagréments, le nombre de fumeurs augmenta en raison de cette invention. Ils pouvaient enfin déambuler dans la nature, avec leurs cigarettes, cigares et pipes, en toute indépendance.

From John Walker's Friction Lights to Samuel Jones' Lucifers
In 1827, the pharmacist John Walker invented the first friction-lighting match, as we know it today. Inspired by the work of an Irish physicist and chemist, Robert Boyle, he imagined a mixture that could ignite by friction on a rough surface. As a good scientist, and not wanting to make the process of his discovery known, he refused to patent it, contenting himself with marketing his product himself, and going about his business as a pharmacist, botanist and mineralogist. This process for manufacturing matches ended up being patented under the name of Lucifers by a certain Samuel Jones. However, Lucifers presented many problems: unstable and violent flame, unpleasant odor. It is said that despite all these inconveniences, the number of smokers increased because of this invention. They could finally wander around in nature, with their cigarettes, cigars and pipes, in complete independence.

Un grand merci pour vos favoris, commentaires et encouragements toujours très appréciés.             

Many thanks for your much appreciated favorites and comments.
   

Taken on: November 29, 2024

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