40 years ago
40 years ago in Chemistry in Britain
In the early part of the 20th century, the composer Sir Edward Elgar invented and claimed to have patented a device for making hydrogen sulfide.
The device is about as small as a hand. There is an inner chamber with a small hole at the top connecting it to the outer vessel. The bottom of the outer vessel is perforated with a series of about 15 small drilled holes.
Unfortunately, no information has come to light as to how the device worked, although I have been told that the ’Elgar sulfuretted hydrogen apparatus’ was used until recently in Hereford schools.
Edited version of a letter from G Auckland, BBC Education (December 1966)
Ed: Chemistry was Elgar’s favourite diversion: he had a laboratory in a converted shed, which he nicknamed ’The Ark’.
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