Out of alchemy -- The alchemist and his apprentice -- The toxic tonic -- Strike a light -- Strike! -- The cost of a box of matches -- Gomorrah -- The ultimate evil- and a power for good -- Murder -- Fortunes from phosphorus -- Unlucky days -- The supreme ruler -- Oh, shit! -- Spontaneous human combustion and other horrors -- Epilogue: The devil's element? -- Appendix: The right chemistry -- Sources -- Index

It was discovered by alchemists, prescribed by apothecaries, exploited by the industrialists of the nineteenth century, and abused by the combatants of the twentieth century. It can be found in many things that have improved our everyday life, from toothpaste to detergents to food additives. For more than 300 years, phosphorus--one of nature's deadliest creations--has continued to fascinate us with the many surprising roles it has played in human history. From murders-by-phosphorus where the bodies glowed green to the match-factory strike that helped end child labor in England, to the irony of the World War II firebombing of Hamburg, to even deadlier compounds derived from phosphorus today, this book weaves together a rich tableau of brilliant and oddball characters, social upheavals, and curious, bizarre, and horrific events that comprise the surprising 300-year history of nature's most nefarious element.--From publisher description