The Disappearing Spoon Ch. 10

Summary:

Elements that are thought to be the most toxic can become live saving. Silver was an element that has been commonly used for a long time. It is fashionable and does not get infected easily. Both Copper and silver have antiseptic qualities.If any harmful bacteria get to copper, these bacteria absorb the copper and the copper disrupts their system making them die. Vanadium has similar effects to those of copper and is the best spermicide for males. Gadolinium is an element which many unpaired electrons and magnetic field make a great part of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), and help detect tumors. Also, if intense radiation is used, this can end the tumors and asides, it has proteins that repair DNA. If the use of Galinium is not proper, then there might be side effects with the body functioning.

Louis Pasteur noticed the handedness of chemistry beginning with the tartaric acid from wineries noticing under a magnifying glass the twists. Pasteur’s greatest milestone was finding a vaccine against rabies. German Domagk had made a similar experiment and discovery. After his daughter had stabbed herself with a needle, she got a bad infection and almost got her arm amputated for it. After many cautions and experiments he could no longer see his daughter like that so with a red die he discovered the first antibacterial drug. Prontosil worked because of its violation to the octet rule since it forms a dozenet. Another drug that was thought to be miraculous was thalidomide caused a lot of very bad birth defects causing the popularity of medicine like these to fall. William Knowles used rhodium to create a catalyst to make two dimensional molecules to three dimensional. The catalyst speeded chemical reactions, and these reactions had effects that could better Parkinson’s disease. Knowles won a Nobel Prize in the year 2001.

Reflection:

I enjoy the historical incorporations of the author. The one in which it mentions the man that had his nose bridge cut off in a sword match and got it replaced by either silver and/or copper. It is funny and also interesting information that sticks to the reader’s mind. Vanadium can raise and lower the glucose levels in the blood, and some think that this element is the cure for diabetes. If silver is ingested at high portions, the skin might turn blue, a man did this trying to cure his syphilis, but it cured him not. We are all left handed because the proteins in our body is so. Prontosil first failed in the market since doctors did not believe it could do much, but thanks to Franklin Delano Roosevelt Jr., doctors and people now saw that it was very helpful. It did not become helpful when Domagk received the Nobel prize and was hurt from it, and when the people seeked out more even incorporating antifreeze which killed hundreds of people.