A closer look
Thomas Edison called the Linotype machine 'the eighth wonder of the world,' ignoring the fact it was basically an industrial hazard that spewed hot metal. Invented in 1884, this mechanical beast allowed newspaper operators to type full lines of text on a keyboard, which the machine would immediately cast into a solid slug of molten lead alloy at 550 degrees Fahrenheit. It revolutionized publishing, but it was notoriously terrifying to operate. If the matrix jammed, the Linotype would execute a 'squirt,' violently blasting the typist with a shower of boiling liquid lead. Occupational safety was a myth.
