White Phosphorus from Bone Ash: Ure, 1839

Phosphorus for matches was made from bones. Bone ash is broken up with sulfuric acid, the liquid is boiled down with charcoal and dried, and the mixture is distilled red-hot in clay retorts; the phosphorus comes over and drops under water like melted wax. Andrew Ure described the works method in 1839. White phosphorus is a deadly poison and catches fire by itself in air: it is always kept under water.