Canton's phosphorus

English

Etymology

Named after John Canton, British physicist.

Noun

Canton's phosphorus (uncountable)

  1. (obsolete, inorganic chemistry) A poorly-characterized phosphorescent substance obtained by calcining oyster-shells and sulfur.
    • 1861, John Henry Pepper, The Playbook of Metals: Including Personal Narratives of Visits to Coal, Lead, Copper, and Tin:
      Canton's phosphorus is made by calcining oyster-shells in the open fire for half an hour; after which, the whitest and largest pieces are selected, mixed with about one-third their weight of flowers of sulphur, pressed into a crucible with a closely-luted cover, and heated red hot for an hour.
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