The A to Z of Unusual Ailments

P IS FOR PHOSSY DISEASE

Phosphorus necrosis of the jaw is caused by exposure to white phosphorus, and was common among the workers who made matches in appalling conditions, eating at their work benches, in the 19th and early 20th Centuries. Toothache led to swelling of the gums, then abscesses along the jaw, which glowed a greeny white in the dark as flesh and bone decayed, and caused brain damage. The only cure was to remove the jawbone.