Vitruvius, the Roman philosopher whose recipe for cement helped inspire the invention of modern concrete, had observed that the men who worked with this heavy metal looked desperately unhealthy, and advised people to steer clear of drinking water that came through lead pipes. Lead is a powerful neurotoxin, especially damaging to the brains of children. Doctors knew, policymakers knew and most members of the general public knew too—but rather than seek a way to remove lead, GM simply removed the word from the chemical’s brand name: they called it “Ethyl.”
