Kerosene, 1846

Canadian scientists have helped to banish the darkness, to feed people better, to view the smallest objects, and to cure once fatal diseases. To satisfy demands for a better lighting source, Abraham Gesner (1797-1864) produced kerosene by distilling petroleum. Kerosene was not the first lighting oil he devised but was, by far, the best. Kerosene was patented in 1854, and at once became the standard lighting fuel. It is still used today, notably as fuel for jet aircraft. These stamps, designed by Roger Hill of Toronto, mark the end of the three-year stamp series on Canadian Innovations in Science and Technology. The scientific achievements being honoured have been accurately rendered in a pleasing and precise illustrative style. Like the previous two issues which focussed on the themes of Transportation and Communications, this year's stamp designs features notes, drawings and diagrams on the development of each innovation on their backgrounds.