My Favorite Banned Book

When I was 10-11 years old, my Uncle Merlin and Aunt Laureen gave me a chemistry book.

It was the Golden Book of Chemistry Experiments.

I thought the book was wonderful. I did a lot of the experiments. 

However, it appears the book was a cesspool of forbidden knowledge!

As it began to show up at libraries and bookstores, people who read through the book thought a lot of the experiments were not child-approved. And this was the 1960's!

What alarmed them so much? Here's one page from the book, page 89:

See how on one page you learn how to make:
1. Methyl alcohol from wood shavings.
2. Methyl salicylate: oil of wintergreen.
3. Hooch (ethyl alcohol) from Karo and yeast. Look at the amount of booze in the glass!
4. Iodoform ?
5. ethyl acetate
6. CHLOROFORM!: Yes, it's a crude formula but here it is, the anesthetic, chloroform. As every die-hard mystery reader knows, a chloroform-soaked rag is a time-honored way of rendering your victim unconscious so that you may carry out your nefarious plans uninterrupted.


Apparently, a massive recall of the book was made, and it was removed from most libraries.  You can download your own (legal) copy here.

I've heard it was inspiration for David Hahn,  the Radioactive Boyscout.