One of the major developments in match technology took place in Germany when white phosphorus was introduced into the head compound. This type of match was termed the ‘Congreve’, appropriately named after Sir William Congreve, the inventor of the war rocket. The white phosphorus ignited much more readily and was seen as a great development at the time. However, there were severe disadvantages to the consumer as these new matches not only ignited at the slightest friction, such as rattling in the packet, but the white phosphorus was fatally poisonous. Matches became the mechanism of choice among Victorian murderers and those contemplating suicide.
The worst side effect of using white phosphorus was, however, one that did not involve the consumer, but the match-worker. This came in the form of phosphorus necrosis, its common name being ‘phossy jaw’, where the fumes of the phosphorus entered the lower jawbone through unhealthy teeth and rotted it away, causing extreme pain, disfigurement and a foul smelling discharge from the dying bone⁴. This ultimately ended in organ failure and death if the jawbone was not surgically removed. Those most prone to the condition were match-workers who had to stand over vats containing igniting compound to dip the splints, although any worker in contact with the matches with the heads applied could contract it.
During the first years of the match industry, a great many match-workers were afflicted with phossy jaw, owing to the appalling working environment in which they operated. The typical match factory was very small, often simply the size of a medium sized house, and consisted of anywhere between one and a dozen workers, often children, making matches entirely by hand in cramped and poorly ventilated conditions and for a very small wage.
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