This Podcast Will Kill You Special Episode: Daniel Stone & American Poison
Jan 13, 2026
Join historian Daniel Stone, author of 'American Poison', as he delves into the dark tale of leaded gasoline and its devastating health effects. Tune in to discover how pioneers like Alice Hamilton fought against industrial negligence. Stone highlights shocking stories, from early workplace hazards to Midgley's profit-driven inventions. Explore how past mistakes echo in today's environmental crises, with a focus on modern threats like PFAS and microplastics. It's a cautionary tale with lessons we must heed.
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Innovation Tradeoffs Fueled Rapid Adoption
- Tetraethyl leaded gasoline solved engine knock and enabled more powerful cars, which drove rapid adoption despite risks.
- Daniel Stone connects that technological benefit to a long, avoidable public health disaster driven by incentives.
Midgley's Personal Poisoning And Rationalization
- Thomas Midgley himself suffered severe lead poisoning after months in the lab but rationalized it as an occupational hazard unique to heavy exposure.
- He treated his illness as a personal cost and continued promoting tetraethyl lead because his identity and money were tied to its success.
1924 Factory Catastrophe Sparks Alarm
- In 1924, workers at a tetraethyl lead plant in New Jersey went vividly insane and several died, launching a media storm.
- That crisis pushed Alice Hamilton into national prominence because it revealed the broader public risk beyond factory walls.
