|
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Carpal Tunnel
|
OP
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858 |
This definition goofed in not mentioning that the "form-" refers to ants. formication For`mi`ca´tion Noun 1. formication - hallucinated sensation that insects or snakes are crawling over the skin; a common side-effect of extensive use of cocaine or amphetamines
And defintion also goofed in saying it is "hallucination". It is usually an illusion, a misinterpretation of itching from contact dermatitis, etc.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 3,065
Carpal Tunnel
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 3,065 |
And the connection with formica is?
Bingley
Bingley
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Carpal Tunnel
|
OP
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858 |
Methyl alcohol has an aldehyde,commonly called formalin. Oxidize that and you get formic acid, which was originally gotten from destructive distillation of ants. Maybe formic acid is what makes ant bites hurt. (a guess). From the internet: * The limitations of celluloid led to the next major advance, known as "phenolic" or "phenol-formaldehyde" plastics. A chemist named Leo Hendrik Baekelund, a Belgian-born American living in New York state, was searching for an insulating shellac to coat wires in electric motors and generators. Baekelund found that mixtures of phenol (C6H5OH) and formaldehyde (HCOH) formed a sticky mass when mixed together and heated, and the mass became extremely hard if allowed to cool and dry. Apparently demand for formica has dropped drastically. I found a site that said principal producer is in Chap.11/
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 1,475
veteran
|
veteran
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 1,475 |
Thanks, Doc. I always assumed that Formica was connected to ants somehow, but now I know.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 7,210
Carpal Tunnel
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 7,210 |
connected to ants
formerly known as etaoin...
|
|
|
|
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 6,296
Carpal Tunnel
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 6,296 |
And I'd just assumed the reverse.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,773
Pooh-Bah
|
Pooh-Bah
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,773 |
A chemist named Leo Hendrik Baekelund, a Belgian-born American living in New York state, was searching for an insulating shellac to coat wires in electric motors and generators. Baekelund found that mixtures of phenol (C6H5OH) and formaldehyde (HCOH) formed a sticky mass when mixed together and heated, and the mass became extremely hard if allowed to cool and dry.I'd never thought about the etymology of bakelite plastic before, but as soon as you mentioned Baekelund, I suspected that bakelike was his creation. This site : http://adams.allwords.com/word-Bakelite.htmlsays that bakelite is indeed named after Baekelund. Cool.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 555
addict
|
addict
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 555 |
but..but..but, aren't ants called Formica something or the other in Latin?
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 1,475
veteran
|
veteran
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 1,475 |
Yes, formica is ant in Latin, but I meant how Formica (tm) the product came to be named.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Carpal Tunnel
|
OP
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858 |
From an online Latin dictionary: formica formic.a N 1 1 NOM S F formic.a N 1 1 ABL S F formica, formicae N F ant; *
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
Carpal Tunnel
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803 |
Yes, your lovely Formica® countertops are made from the crushed and mutilated bodies of thousands and thousands of tiny little poor innocent ants who gave their lives so you can enjoy your caviar canapes.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 1,475
veteran
|
veteran
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 1,475 |
I don't think they still get it from destilled crushed ant bodies, but hey maybe they do.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 7,210
Carpal Tunnel
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 7,210 |
well, that's the trouble with butcher block countertops, all those cows and pigs running through your kitchen looking for sugar...
formerly known as etaoin...
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Carpal Tunnel
|
OP
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858 |
When I was assistant director of MA Biologic Labs, we had a new vaccine get formicked up. After first batch had stood a while, there was a reddish sediment. One ingredient had a small amount of phenol as preservative, another had formalin as preservative. The sediment was bakelite.
|
|
|
Forums16
Topics13,913
Posts229,374
Members9,182
|
Most Online3,341 Dec 9th, 2011
|
|
0 members (),
198
guests, and
1
robot. |
Key:
Admin,
Global Mod,
Mod
|
|
|
|