Copper

I was feeling a loss in the chemistry mojo today so thank goodness today in science history rocked my world with the anniversary of the first use of rabies vaccines in humans.

Science does not advance without taking risks. On July 6, 1885, Louis Pasteur took a huge risk by innoculating Joseph Meister with a rabies vaccine that had only been tested in his lab on dogs. Two days prior, 9-year old Meister had been bitten by a rabid dog after provoking it with a stick. His mother took him to Pasteur and begged him to help her son (all individuals before rabies vaccines had died from the disease). After much deliberation (despite the fact that the only positive outcome for the boy was if the vaccine worked), Pasteur decided to treat the boy and was successful in preventing Meister from succumbing to rabies. Oddly enough, Meister ended up working as a groundskeeper for the Pasteur lab and died protecting Pasteur's grave from the Nazi's during WWII.

Since that first administering of the rabies vaccine on Joseph Meister, the use of vaccines has exploded. Vaccines now exist for measles, mumps, rubella, polio, diphtheria, tetanus, hepatitis, influenza, and even the chicken pox (among others).

But despite its benefits, there is still controversy. Most recently, the use of vaccines has been wrongly linked to autism (I say this with confidence - studies linking the vaccines to autism were falsified). And while people still refuse to have their children vaccinated, some go to extraordinary measures to expose their children to certain diseases. Take for example the chickenpox party. Parents who have a child with chickenpox will invite other families over so that their child may also contract chicken pox. They promote the children sharing drinks, lollipops, etc. My parents did this to me, but then again, I was one of the last "generations" to not have the chickenpox vaccine. The fact that these parties still exists today seems a little strange, but hey, to each their own. Just like science, we all take risks.

Chemistry Math: This section is probably a once in a lifetime shot, so enjoy!

copper + tin = bronze

copper + zinc = brass

Trivia: Copper is one of three metallic elements that is not gray. Can you guess the others? (Hint: One of the elements is also the name of a color!)

Fun Fact: The Statue of Liberty is built of copper. From its dedication in 1886 to 1906, the statue turned from a dull copper to green due to oxidation.