The British Aircraft Industry during the First World War

The Dope Scandal

Dr Tim Jenkins (Heritage Consultant & Independent Scholar, Canada)

$59.99

Paperback

Forthcoming
Pre-Order now

QTY:

English

Bloomsbury Academic
29 May 2025

20th century history: c 1900 to c 2000; History: specific events & topics; First World War; Air forces & warfare; History of engineering & technology

In this book, Tim Jenkins examines the factory worker poisonings and suspect government procurement procedures that resulted in Allied success in the air during First World War.

The early development of aircraft during World War I was an important yet dangerous part of the war effort seen in the First World War and although many descriptions of daring aerial combat have been written, the risk to those involved in the manufacture of such machines remains less well known. Tetrachlorethane, a poisonous solvent contained in aircraft dope, was responsible for a number of civilian deaths in aircraft factories and although the British knew the substance to be lethal, they were much slower than their American and German counterparts in sourcing alternatives.

In this groundbreaking book, Tim Jenkins explores the use of Tetrachlorethan and brings to light the concerns and warnings voiced by the international medical profession. His examination considers the government's reasons for its use of the poisonous solvent to create a compelling yet scholarly account which takes in corruption, negligence and wartime manufacture. This book will be vital to scholars studying military production during the First World War.

By: Dr Tim Jenkins (Heritage Consultant & Independent Scholar Canada)
Imprint: Bloomsbury Academic
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 234mm, Width: 156mm, Spine: 25mm
Weight: 454g
ISBN: 9781350297104
ISBN 10: 1350297100
Pages: 216
Publication Date: 29 May 2025
Audience: College/higher education , Further / Higher Education
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Forthcoming

Introduction 1. Common Instruments of Locomotion 2. Aeroplanes in War 3. Mysterious Deaths of the Liver 4. Dope Poisoning in Aircraft Factories 5. The Air Committee Fiasco 6. British Cellulose & Colonel Grant Morden 7. No Departmental Favouritism Conclusion Bibliography Index

Tim Jenkins is a heritage and conservation professional with research specialisms in military archaeology, historic aircraft conservation and the history of science and technology. Tim is a culture and heritage consultant based in Ontario, Canada.

Reviews for The British Aircraft Industry during the First World War: The Dope Scandal

This is a very timely book, given the pressures placed on western defence industries to increase production to meet the demands of the current Russo-Ukrainian conflict… Courses looking at military history and the defence infrastructure that supports operations would find this book to be of huge value at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. * First World War Studies * A valuable addition to the history of British aviation during the First World War. * The Aviation Historian *