This 2012 episode from prior hosts Sarah and Deblina covers dentist Horace Wells. At an exhibition in 1844 he became certain that nitrous oxide could revolutionize medicine. He tried to demonstrate his findings, but things didn't go as planned.

This 2012 episode from prior hosts Sarah and Deblina covers dentist Horace Wells. At an exhibition in 1844 he became certain that nitrous oxide could revolutionize medicine. He tried to demonstrate his findings, but things didn't go as planned.

Join Holly and Tracy as they bring you the greatest and strangest Stuff You Missed In History Class in this podcast by iHeartRadio.

Stuff You Missed in History Class

SYMHC Classics: Horace Wells and the Gas War

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/7e752d9f-a9de-4f54-ad7a-b1600104f838/transcript

"Fumifugium"was a treatise on air pollution written in 1661. In addition to warning about the dangers of coal smoke, John Evelyn wrote this work to improve the reputation of King Charles II.

Research:
Chambers, Douglas D. C. "Evelyn, John (1620–1706), diarist and writer." Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. January 03, 2008. Oxford University Press. Date of access 13 Jan. 2026, https://www.oxforddnb.com/view/10.1093/ref:odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-8996
"Evelyn, John (1620-1706)." Encyclopedia of World Biography, Gale, 1998. Gale Academic OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A148426050/GPS?u=mlin_n_melpub&sid=bookmark-GPS&xid=ab356add. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
Borunda, Alejandra. “The EPA is changing how it considers the costs and benefits of air pollution rules.” NPR. 1/13/2026. https://www.npr.org/2026/01/13/nx-s1-5675307/epa-air-regulations-health-benefits
DeWispelare, Daniel. “’Heavy Fumes of Charcoal Creep into the Brain.’” The 18th-century Common. 5/14/2018. https://www.18thcenturycommon.org/evelyn/
Hovde, Sarah. “A solution for pollution?” Folger Shakespeare Library. 4/21/2017. https://www.folger.edu/blogs/shakespeare-and-beyond/air-pollution-london-fumifugium/
London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. “Pamphlet Collection: Fumifugium, by John Evelyn.” Library, Archive & Open Research Services Blog. 7/11/2022. https://blogs.lshtm.ac.uk/library/2022/11/07/pamphlet-collection-fumifugium-by-john-evelyn/
Jenner, Mark. (1995) The politics of London air : John Evelyn's 'Fumifugium' and the Restoration. The Historical Journal. pp. 535-551. ISSN: 1469-5103. https://eprints.whiterose.ac.uk/id/eprint/1550/1/jennerm1.pdf
Heidorn, K.C. “A Chronology of Important Events in the History of Air Pollution Meteorology to 1970.” Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, December 1978, Vol. 59, No. 12 (December 1978). Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/26219252
Foster, John Bellamy. “Introduction to John Evelyn’s ‘Fumifugium.’” Organization & Environment, June 1999, Vol. 12, No. 2 (June 1999). https://www.jstor.org/stable/26161864
Brimblecombe, Peter. “Interest in Air Pollution among Early Fellows of the Royal Society.” Notes and Records of the Royal Society of London, Mar., 1978, Vol. 32, No. 2 (Mar., 1978). Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/531723
Cavert, William M. “The Environmental Policy of Charles I: Coal Smoke and the English Monarchy, 1624–40.” Journal of British Studies, APRIL 2014, Vol. 53, No. 2 (APRIL 2014). Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/24701865
Darley, Gillian. “John Evelyn: Britain's First Environmentalist.” Gresham College. 11/12/2020. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pOik751LhHk
Surrey Heritage. “John Evelyn (1620 – 1706).” https://www.exploringsurreyspast.org.uk/themes/people/writers/john_evelyn/
Evelyn, John. “Fumifugium.” 1661. https://archive.org/details/fumifugium00eveluoft/

"Fumifugium" was a treatise on air pollution written in 1661. In addition to warning about the dangers of coal smoke, John Evelyn wrote this work to improve the reputation of King Charles II.
Research:
<ul>
<li>Chambers, Douglas D. C. "Evelyn, John (1620&ndash;1706), diarist and writer." Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. January 03, 2008. Oxford University Press. Date of access 13 Jan. 2026, https://www.oxforddnb.com/view/10.1093/ref:odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-8996</li>
<li>"Evelyn, John (1620-1706)." Encyclopedia of World Biography, Gale, 1998. Gale Academic OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A148426050/GPS?u=mlin_n_melpub&amp;sid=bookmark-GPS&amp;xid=ab356add. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.</li>
<li>Borunda, Alejandra. &ldquo;The EPA is changing how it considers the costs and benefits of air pollution rules.&rdquo; NPR. 1/13/2026. https://www.npr.org/2026/01/13/nx-s1-5675307/epa-air-regulations-health-benefits</li>
<li>DeWispelare, Daniel. &ldquo;&rsquo;Heavy Fumes of Charcoal Creep into the Brain.&rsquo;&rdquo; The 18th-century Common. 5/14/2018. https://www.18thcenturycommon.org/evelyn/</li>
<li>Hovde, Sarah. &ldquo;A solution for pollution?&rdquo; Folger Shakespeare Library. 4/21/2017. https://www.folger.edu/blogs/shakespeare-and-beyond/air-pollution-london-fumifugium/</li>
<li>London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. &ldquo;Pamphlet Collection: Fumifugium, by John Evelyn.&rdquo; Library, Archive &amp; Open Research Services Blog. 7/11/2022. https://blogs.lshtm.ac.uk/library/2022/11/07/pamphlet-collection-fumifugium-by-john-evelyn/</li>
<li>Jenner, Mark. (1995) The politics of London air : John Evelyn's 'Fumifugium' and the Restoration. The Historical Journal. pp. 535-551. ISSN: 1469-5103. https://eprints.whiterose.ac.uk/id/eprint/1550/1/jennerm1.pdf</li>
<li>Heidorn, K.C. &ldquo;A Chronology of Important Events in the History of Air Pollution Meteorology to 1970.&rdquo; Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, December 1978, Vol. 59, No. 12 (December 1978). Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/26219252</li>
<li>Foster, John Bellamy. &ldquo;Introduction to John Evelyn&rsquo;s &lsquo;Fumifugium.&rsquo;&rdquo; Organization &amp; Environment, June 1999, Vol. 12, No. 2 (June 1999). https://www.jstor.org/stable/26161864</li>
<li>Brimblecombe, Peter. &ldquo;Interest in Air Pollution among Early Fellows of the Royal Society.&rdquo; Notes and Records of the Royal Society of London, Mar., 1978, Vol. 32, No. 2 (Mar., 1978). Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/531723</li>
<li>Cavert, William M. &ldquo;The Environmental Policy of Charles I: Coal Smoke and the English Monarchy, 1624&ndash;40.&rdquo; Journal of British Studies, APRIL 2014, Vol. 53, No. 2 (APRIL 2014). Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/24701865</li>
<li>Darley, Gillian. &ldquo;John Evelyn: Britain's First Environmentalist.&rdquo; Gresham College. 11/12/2020. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pOik751LhHk</li>
<li>Surrey Heritage. &ldquo;John Evelyn (1620 &ndash; 1706).&rdquo; https://www.exploringsurreyspast.org.uk/themes/people/writers/john_evelyn/</li>
<li>Evelyn, John. &ldquo;Fumifugium.&rdquo; 1661. https://archive.org/details/fumifugium00eveluoft/</li>
</ul>

"Fumifugium" was a treatise on air pollution written in 1661. In addition to warning about the dangers of coal smoke, John Evelyn wrote this work to improve the reputation of King Charles II.

John Evelyn's 'Fumifugium'

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/b4dd01b6-edb0-4808-b4c1-b3e2003e67a9/transcript

This 2019 episode shares how Hennig Brand discovered phosphorous by boiling pee. But he was really thought the secret to the philosopher’s stone might be found in urine. 

This 2019 episode shares how Hennig Brand discovered phosphorous by boiling pee. But he was really thought the secret to the philosopher&rsquo;s stone might be found in urine.&nbsp;

SYMHC Classics: Hennig Brand

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/84a3dbf6-2247-4540-b7d7-b3df000f036c/transcript

Tracy talks about amusing old illustrations of babies in utero. Holly shares anecdotes about George Stephenson's life that rarely make it into discussions of his life.

Tracy talks about amusing old illustrations of babies in utero. Holly shares anecdotes about George Stephenson's life that rarely make it into discussions of his life.

Behind the Scenes Minis: Odd Baby Train

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/e381efcf-166b-46f6-91e0-b3de017e6220/transcript

SYMHC Classics: Horace Wells and the Gas War

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