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The Leaded Gas Scare of the 1920s
Corporate enthusiasm for this 'super fuel' overcame public fears until scientific evidence proved its harmful effects.
History

The invention of gasoline additive tetraethyl lead in the 1920s was a great technological advance, improving the performance of gasoline-fueled engines. But in 1924, reports of its harmful and sometimes deadly effects were hushed up, and leaded gas continued to power big American cars for another 50 years. Although finally banned in the U.S. and other industrialized nations, leaded gasoline use continues in many developing countries.

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