According to the CDC, chloroethane, also known as ethyl chloride, was once used in the now-banned leaded gasoline. In the past, it was being used to produce tetraethyllead, an additive for gasoline.

A brilliant scientist (D.Sc., M.I.T. ’33), Thomas had helped develop no-knock ethyl gasoline, was awarded the civilian Medal for Merit for his work as project director of the Oak Ridge A-bomb ...