Podcast Summary: Stuff You Missed in History Class

Episode Title: Elizabeth Fulhame’s Colorful Chemistry
Hosts: Tracy V. Wilson & Holly Fry
Date: March 25, 2026
Podcast: iHeartPodcasts / Stuff You Missed in History Class

Episode Overview

In this episode, hosts Tracy and Holly delve into the remarkable yet often overlooked legacy of Elizabeth Fulhame, an 18th-century chemist whose work prefigured the discovery of catalysis—a cornerstone of modern chemistry—and had links to the early development of photography. The episode explores her experimentation with dyeing textiles with metals, her influential book “An Essay on Combustion,” and the challenges she faced as a woman in science during her era.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Who Was Elizabeth Fulhame? (03:21–06:35)

• Sparse Biography:

  • Very little biographical information survives; not even her birth name, date of birth, or childhood details are clear.
  • Most sources simply call her “Mrs. Fulhame.”
  • She was married to Thomas Fulhame, a doctor who studied medicine at the University of Edinburgh and attended Joseph Black’s chemistry classes.

• Context for Women in Science:

  • At the time, women could not formally enroll in the University of Edinburgh (not until 1892), but some attended public lectures.
  • Fulhame likely self-taught, possibly with access to her husband’s books and lab resources.

2. Fulhame’s Inspiration & Early Work (06:35–10:30)

• Origin of Interest:

  • Sparked by her husband's exposure to Joseph Black's demonstrations in chemistry (particularly dissolving metals and precipitating metal chlorides).

• Her Idea:

  • Wondered if she could “dye” textiles with gold and silver, similar to the chemical precipitation methods demonstrated by Black.
  • Faced skepticism from her husband and their friends:
    • “I imagined in the beginning that a few experiments would determine the problem. But experience soon convinced me that a very great number indeed were necessary before such an art could be brought to any tolerable degree of perfection.” (Elizabeth Fulhame, 08:40)

• Dedication:

  • Conducted experiments for 14 years, meticulously recording methods and results, limited only by her financial means.

3. Fulhame’s Experiments and Techniques (10:30–13:37; 17:25–24:43)

• Experiment Methods/Tools:

  • Worked without a patron or fully equipped lab—used home setups and a Newth apparatus (for conducting gas reactions).
  • Experimented with silk and other textiles, gold, silver, various chemicals.

• Notable Achievements:

  • Produced gold and silver-dyed textiles, some large enough to be impressive despite limited resources.
  • Used metallic dyes creatively (e.g., on maps: “Rivers... in silver and the cities in gold... the minutest branches… can be splendidly represented in this way.” [10:30])

• Challenges:

  • Couldn’t afford to patent her technique.
  • Wrote the book in part to prevent others “plundering in silence”—a common risk for 18th-century inventors, especially women.

4. The Intellectual Climate: Phlogiston vs. Oxygen Theories (12:23–13:37; 22:37–24:12)

• Phlogiston Theory:
  • A dominant but fading theory of combustion positing that combustibles released a substance (“phlogiston”) when burned.
  • Joseph Priestley (supported phlogiston) vs. Antoine Lavoisier (introduced modern oxygen theory).
  • Fulhame’s book critiques both sides, leaning more toward Lavoisier yet independent in her conclusions:
    • “She found Lavoisier's concept of combustion superior to the idea of phlogiston, but she also thought his hypothesis didn't fully account for everything…” (22:37)

5. Navigating Gender and Scientific Authority (19:48–22:37)

• Prescience on Sexism:
  • Fulhame wrote eloquently about anticipated criticism for being a woman scientist:
    • “Censure is perhaps inevitable, for some are so ignorant that they grow sullen and silent... Should the specter appear in the shape of a woman, the pangs which they suffer are truly dismal.” (19:48)
    • On men protecting their “rights” in science:
      • “…assume a dictatorship in science and fancying, their rights and prerogatives invaded, swell with rage…by innuendos, nods, whispers, sneers, grins, grimace, satanic smiles…” (20:53)

6. Key Scientific Discoveries (24:12–28:52)

• Innovative Chemistry:

  • Catalysis:

    • Fulhame noticed that certain chemical reductions required water, which wasn't consumed in the reactions.
    • “She speculated that the water was being broken down into its components, with those components facilitating combustion and then being reunited...” (26:16)
    • This prefigured the modern concept of catalysis, decades before the term was coined by Berzelius in 1836.

  • Early Photography:

    • Her work with silver nitrate and light-responsive textiles anticipated photographic processes.
      • Example: Treated silk “took on a reddish color that darkened until it was almost black” when exposed to sunlight, but not when kept in the dark. (28:01)

Reception & Legacy (32:39–42:08)

7. Initial Reception

• Immediate Attention:

  • Popular Press:

    • The Gentleman’s Magazine (1795) and The Monthly Review (1796) covered her book, expressing surprise at “a lady” writing on chemistry and commending her ingenuity.
    • Quote: “We applaud this lady's persevering ingenuity....and sincerely sympathize with her on account of that disabling and discouraging narrowness of circumstances...” (Thomas Beddoes, 34:24)

  • Scientific Community:

    • Benjamin Thompson, Count Rumford, credited Fulhame’s experiments for inspiring his own investigations:
      • “It was on reading her book that I was induced to engage in these investigations, and it was by her experiments that most of the foregoing experiments were suggested.” (35:28)
    • Her work reviewed favorably in French and German academic circles; German translation published in 1798.

  • Criticism & Rivalry:

    • Joseph Priestley published a rebuttal, calling parts “as fanciful and fabulous as the story of the Phoenix itself.” (36:22)
    • Irish chemist William Higgins implied she’d failed to credit his prior work, though their observations were not identical. (36:57)

8. Recognition & Barriers

• Societal Limits:

  • Scientific societies generally barred women, but Fulhame was made a corresponding member of the Philadelphia Chemical Society.

  • American edition of her book (1810) called her achievement “assuredly deserving of more attention than they have hitherto received.” (39:38)

  • On women’s roles:

    • “Mrs. Fulhame has now laid such bold claims to chemistry that we can no longer deny the sex the privilege of participating in this science also... what may we not expect from such an accession of talents?” (Thomas Peter Smith, 38:04)

9. Influence on Later Science

• Photography:

  • Cited by John Herschel, coiner of the term “photography” (1839), and by chemist George Thomas Fisher Jr. (1843).
  • Fulhame’s experiments considered an early milestone in the path to photographic technology, though direct influence is unclear.

• Rediscovery:

  • Her work faded from mainstream reference by the late 19th century but was rediscovered in the mid-20th century, now accessible online.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On perseverance & sacrifice:

  • “Experience soon convinced me that a very great number indeed were necessary [experiments] before such an art could be brought to any tolerable degree of perfection.” (Elizabeth Fulhame, 08:40)

• On publishing to thwart would-be plagiarists:

  • “I published this essay in its present imperfect state in order to prevent the ferocious attempts of the prowling plagiary and the insidious pretender to chemistry ... to deprive industry of the fruits and fame of her labors.” (19:08, Fulhame preface)

• On anticipating misogyny:

  • “Should the specter appear in the shape of a woman, the pangs which they suffer are truly dismal.” (19:48)

• On her discoveries (proto-catalysis):

  • “As fast as these [water’s components] are consumed in the various processes of combustion, equal quantities are formed and rise regenerated. Like the phoenix from her ashes.” (26:16)

• On impact:

  • “It was on reading her book that I was induced to engage in these investigations...” (35:28, Count Rumford)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Elizabeth Fulhame’s identity and lack of biographical data: 03:21–06:35
• Genesis of her chemical explorations: 06:35–10:30
• Experiments and book rationale: 17:25–24:43
• Combustion theories/phlogiston debate: 12:23–13:37; 22:37–24:12
• Gender barriers and author’s preface: 19:48–22:37
• Her innovations: catalysis and photographic methods: 24:12–28:52
• Contemporary reception and legacy: 32:39–42:08

Tone & Style Notes

• Tone: Engaging, enthusiastic, sometimes amused, and admiring—especially for Fulhame’s wit and sharpness regarding the state of women in science.
• Language: Conversational but precise, mixing accessible explanations with direct period quotations.

Final Thoughts

Elizabeth Fulhame stands as a pioneer whose bold scientific inquiry and sharp observations anticipated major advancements in chemistry and photography. Despite facing societal and financial barriers—and fading into obscure footnotes—her work has been rightfully recognized for its ingenuity and persistence. Tracy and Holly highlight Fulhame’s resilience, scientific legacy, and sardonic humor, reinforcing why she deserves a prominent place in the history of science.