There have been several attempts to write the history of Britain's chemical industry as a whole, and countless others concentrating on individual companies. Some have looked at the technical aspects of the industry, whilst others have addressed economic issues. Few have, however, attempted to analyse the effects of the chemical industry on society in general. The current environmental crisis can only be fully understood in the light of its history. This is the first such book to look critically at the whole development of industrial chemistry in the UK in the context of its effects on the environment. No one from industry, government or academia can afford to be unaware of the historical roots of our present dilemma. Industrial chemists can take heart from the realization that their predecessors were remarkably aware of the problems and often found satisfactory solutions. Industrial chemistry has traditionally been seen as the great 'polluter'. Without any attempts at 'whitewash' this book puts the record straight. From academic chemist to industrialist to politician, Chemistry, Society and Environment: A New History of the British Chemical Industry will be of relevance to all those concerned with the social and environmental impact of the chemical industry.

There have been many developments in anaesthesia since Joseph Priestley discovered nitrous oxide. Covering new anaesthetics, the molecular and cellular mechanisms of anaesthesia and the non-hypnotic effects of anaesthetics and other medical gases, Gases in Medicine combines reviews of current research from both academic and clinical perspectives and provides an historical framework in which this research may be placed. Encompassing a wide range of topics including intravenous anaesthetics, neural processes and the 1997 Priestley Lecture on nitric oxide, this book offers an accessible summary of anaesthesia along with the current best research. Also included is the BOC Centenary Lecture, which gives a perspective on anaesthesia for the 21st century. This book will be welcomed by readers in academia and medicine as an illustration of the diversity of research into anaesthesia and the associated history of this fascinating subject.