Faraday to Lyon Playfair   30 October 1855

Royal Institution | 30 October 1855

My dear Playfair

I was very sorry to miss you this morning but inexorable time stole you away and I know so well the value of it to an occupied man that I cannot but allow to others the power I am often obliged to reserve myself. Many thanks for the box which is very curious & apparently good. I had seen them before - Do you think they will come into use?¹

I was much struck by an observation Liebig made to me the other day when he was here & we were talking over just such a box. “But your match makers have not the phosphorus disease in the jaw” said he “it only occurs in Germany” and when I asked him his reason for that he seemed to give it in the bad ventilation & closeness of the German shops combined with the presence of phosphorous vapour[.]

Ever Your Obliged | M. Faraday

Lyon Playfair Esqr | &c &c &c