Not the sharpest tool for sure.
I have looked previously about how several white phosphorus experiments went wrong within the classroom setting, principally because of how dangerous and unpredictable this chemical is in even “experienced” hands.
This is another story of such an occurrence which occurred at an interesting time in history, when it had been largely banned in the match trade , and very near to the First World War where it would be used in a warfare theatre setting for the first time. The principal subject of the youth concerned, Cyril Shepherd, would have much growing up to do very quickly, and it is highly likely that he would have been called to serve in the years that followed.
The London Daily News of 20/2/1913 tells how this classroom experimenter had been burnt after putting a piece of phosphorus in his pocket. This is perhaps a very early example of an accident claims issue hitting the courts, in this case against Essex County Council and the teacher Frank Lynch when the youth and his father were alleging negligence 🙄 .
The sixteen year old Shepherd along with other classmates had collected pieces of phosphorus in demonstrating its exposure to oxygen. Shepherd for some reason put a piece of it in his trouser pocket, and needed skin grafts due to the severe burns inflicted when his trousers, (and maybe his parts) caught fire. 😆
 
His solicitor claimed that the teacher had shown negligence in not telling the youths about the dangerous nature of the chemical, as well as afterwards instructing that oil be rubbed into the burnt wound! The chemical of course is attracted to such material and would have made the situation much worse.
The dubious story unravels with Shepherd apparently knowing that phosphorus matches could catch fire, yet not sticks of the stuff itself.
The teacher denied negligence stating that he had warned the boys in the class of the dangers of P4 prior to the incident.
The following day after adjournment, the same paper reported that common sense had prevailed when the jury rejected the plaintiffs claim. The judge dealt with the matter in a light hearted way, asking them if they would like to take a piece of phosphorus away with them in their pockets?
The youth knew he had done wrong, and that it was his own fault, and not that of his teacher.
If this incident had occurred today it would almost certainly have appeared on social media almost instantly with protests outside the school gates and petitions for the suspension of the teacher , with some harridan parent looking for compo. It’s probably too great a risk now to allow such experiments with this chemical, yet that doesn’t stop certain companies of course dealing with its misadventure to this very day.
