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In 1921, General Motors engineers discovered that tetraethyl lead could make internal combustion engines run more smoothly and reduce engine knock.

Similarly, several decades later, the introduction of tetraethyl lead into gasoline raised environmental concerns, but was tolerated as a necessary lubricant for the adoption of the internal combustion engine.

On the other hand, lead was easy to extract and work, and almost embarrassingly profitable to produce industrially–and tetraethyl lead did indubitably stop engines from knocking.

By all accounts, Midgley was a genial man who may even have believed his own spin about the safety of a daily tetraethyl lead handwash.

Back then, too, gasoline also contained tetraethyl lead to dampen knocking and increase octane.