Chemistry for Everyone edited by
Safety Tips
Timothy D. Champion Johnson C. Smith University Charlotte, NC 28216
Teaching Chemistry Lab Safety through Comics Pasquale Di Raddo Department of Physical Sciences, Ferris State University, Big Rapids, MI 49307;
[email protected] In an age when our computer-savvy students are increasingly adept in the use of CD animations and virtual reality, the science fiction comic book genre remains popular, as is evident by its continued visibility in bookstores and on magazine stands. For generations, excellent artwork, entertaining story lines and affordability have made it so. The legitimacy and introduction of comic scenes into academic curricula as a medium for the teaching of art (1), behavioral psychology (2) and science-related topics (3, 4) such as in the presentation of microscale chemistry as a laboratory technique (5) have been well documented. In his extensive survey of the comic book literature in this Journal (6, 7), Henry Carter points to numerous instances of chemistry themes being incorporated in the text of stories. The topics that he lists therein, extracted predominantly from the CLASSICS Illustrated comic books published from 1941 to 1971, include many with which chemistry students are familiar. The present article proposes that critiquing chemistry lab images in comics is of value in teaching safety in the lab. This exercise also provides an opportunity to discuss academic plagiarism, scientific ethics, and academic honesty (8). Students learn that, prior to using printed images such as these ones presented here, one must first obtain written permission from publishers or the intellectual owners of that printed matter. While a stereotypical image presented in comics is of scientists working at their lab benches, absent from Carter’s review is a consideration of lab safety, a topic of paramount importance in high school, college, and industrial laboratories. Unfortunately, for many students about to embark on the lab component of a chemistry course, a preliminary and thorough discussion of safety considerations and rules, although certainly essential, can be excruciatingly bland. To
help sustain interest and perhaps even make learning lab safety fun, this paper proposes using as visual aids superhero, crime fighting icons of comic book mythology familiar to many students. The instructor may as well use a non-superhero type fictional character, such as Sherlock Holmes, found on the cover of a recent issue of this Journal (9). In comic book images from the 1940s, we note that early in their crime-fighting careers, Jay Garrick (Flash) and Bruce Wayne (Batman) honed their forensic and analytical skills by conducting chemistry experiments at lab bench situations. At one point, Wayne exclaims, “I’ve got to know science thoroughly to become a scientific detective” (10). In the following exercise, students are encouraged to ferret out and critique the laboratory faux pas represented in select images presented (11). In the inaugural issue of the comic strip character Flash (12), Jay Garrick’s science teacher refers to him as a “brilliant student”. Yet his actions in subsequent illustrations indicate anything but those of a prudent student, for he violates basic lab safety considerations throughout. The images (Figure 1) show Jay remaining in the school lab unsupervised until the early hours of the morning, at which time he seems clearly tired. He appears without protective eyewear (safety glasses or goggles) and dresses in entirely inappropriate attire (a suit and necktie). This is far removed from donning appropriate loosely fitting clothing or a protective lab coat. An uncorked flask containing volatile liquids (as one can ascertain from fumes in the lab) sits beside him, and should rather have been placed in a well-ventilated fume hood. Jay pulls up a chair, which is an obvious physical obstruction in lab, and lights a cigarette. In addition to the health concerns of cigarette smoking (laden with hydrocarbon carcinogens), the organic solvents present are highly flammable and lighting a match at this time would be strictly forbidden. He casually seats him-
Figure 1. The Flash at work in the school chemistry laboratory. DC Comics. All rights reserved. Used with permission.
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self, stretches back, and inadvertently knocks over and shatters a chemical-containing flask behind him. Due to the subsequent release of reaction flask fumes and dangers inherent in this situation, the character should immediately have reached for a fire alarm or, at the least, evacuated the facility. Foolishly, he attempts to retrieve the shattered glass without either protective gloves or the use of a broom, but rather with bare hands. Even a tiny cut resulting from this action would permit the entry of small quantities of possibly dangerous chemicals into his bloodstream. Escaping chemical fumes are seen to overcome him in the next scene (not shown) as he collapses onto the broken glass, remaining sprawled on the floor and unconscious.
Figure 2. Bruce Wayne (Batman) experimenting in the Bat Cave. DC Comics. All rights reserved. Used with permission.
A second illustration that we use portrays Bruce Wayne, in training as Batman (13), in his private lab quarters (Figure 2). Although the reaction test tubes are corked, vapors are clearly visible in the scene, meaning that he too should be working in the enclosed area of a ventilated fume hood. Bruce’s lab attire is clearly superior to that of Mr. Garrick’s in that he is wearing a full-length lab coat and safety glasses with side shield protection. A final scenario (Figure 3) is taken from a CLASSICS Illustrated comic book cover based on the novel Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde that was reproduced in a previous issue of this Journal (6). Here is a scene fraught with safety violations. An austere looking Dr. Jekyll is shown working alone in his lab devoid of eyewear protection and wearing inappropriate laboratory clothing, as noted by his Sunday best shirt and bow tie. Rather than a skimpy lab apron, he should have on a full-length lab coat with long sleeves to protect his bare arms from chemical contact and subsequent skin irritation. A closer inspection seems to show that Jekyll’s hair is slicked back, probably due to his liberal use of flammable hairspray. Books on the counter add to the bench clutter about him, so that he might easily bump and knock something over. Jekyll is depicted as pouring a liquid from a flask into a narrow test tube without either the use of a graduated cylinder and funnel or test tube clamp (the reaction broth appears to be exothermic and possibly hot to the touch). Nor does he wear gloves to protect his hands from chemical contact. Fumes released from the reaction tube are clearly evident and exaggerated to take on the amorphous form of Mr. Hyde. Hence, there is again a necessity that this experiment be conducted in a ventilated fume hood (a locale where Hyde can at least be contained). At the image’s foreground, distillate dripping from the retort into a drinking glass implies that he is about to consume a beverage in lab. Not! Alcohol use impairs handeye coordination and perhaps further precipitates lab accidents. Clearly, my students have pointed out, the doctor appears preoccupied, angry, careless, and not enjoying the lab experience. In contrast to these scenes, students are then shown typical modern-day images of chemists at work (14, 15). In the former reference there is an image of pristine lab facilities in which several scientists, in appropriate attire, are weighing chemicals on analytical balances, perhaps engaged in combinatorial chemistry research. Another image therein indicates a wealth of computers in the lab facility, which serves as the information reference source of choice. In the latter reference, two scientists are depicted in serious discussion stationed at a state-of-the-art fume hood.1 In conclusion, comic book scenes may be used as a medium to facilitate and promote lab-related safety education through richness of colorful and entertaining imagery. Teachers may readily obtain permission for the use of these and other relevant images for presentation in their classrooms by contacting the appropriate publishers of the magazines where they are found (16). Acknowledgments
Figure 3. Dr. Jekyll prepares a frothy solution. Copyright 1951 Gilberton Company.
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I thank Raymond Dickinson for his encouragement and assistance with this work.
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Note 1. All three aforementioned laboratory scenes take place outside a fume hood.
Literature Cited 1. Sterm, J. Chronicle Higher Educ. 2002, April 5, B14–B15. 2. Saarni, C. Develomental Psychology 1979, 15, 424–429. 3. Hazari, A. Fun Links: Teaching Chemistry with Humor. Presented at the 15th Biennial Conference on Chemical Education, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, Aug 9–13, 1998; Paper S64. 4. Carraher, C. E. J. Chem. Educ. 1975, 52, 654. 5. Szafran, Z.; Pike, R. M.; Singh, M. M. J. Chem. Educ. 1994, 71, A151. 6. Carter, H. A. J. Chem. Educ. 1988, 65, 1029–1035. 7. Carter, H. A. J. Chem. Educ. 1989, 66, 118–123. 8. Kovac, J. The Ethical Chemist: Professionalism and Ethics in Science; Pearson Prentice Hall: Upper Saddle River, NJ, 2004.
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9. Lucy, C. A. J. Chem. Educ. 2000, 77, 459–470. The picture of Sherlock Holmes is featured in this article and on the cover of the April issue. 10. Gresh, L. H.; Weinberg, R. The Science of Superheroes; John Wiley & Sons: Hoboken, NJ, 2002; p 36. 11. In the popular series of Archie comic book periodicals, the leading character is regularly depicted inappropriately attired in exaggerated lab settings, such as in having blown up the contents of a reaction flask after mixing various concoctions. See for examples the covers of Laugh Digest, No. 196, Nov 2004 and Archie, No. 551, Nov 2004. 12. Famous 1st Editions; National Periodical Publications: New York, 1975; Vol. 2, Aug, 3–4 13. Batman in the Forties; DC Comics: New York, 2004; p 17 14. Chem Eng. News 2004, July 26, 23 15. Chem Eng. News 2004, August 9, 31 16. A tutorial on copyright information may be found at http:// www.utsystem.edu/ogc/intellectualproperty/cprtindx.htm#top (accessed Jan 2006).
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