Picric acid converted it to acetylsalicylic acid, i.e., aspirin, to keep it from the Allies. See Great Phenol Plot. At the time, phenol was obtained from coal as a co-product of coke ovens and the manufacture of gas for gas lighting. Laclede Gas reports being asked to expand production of phenol (and toluene) to support the war effort. Both Monsanto and Dow Chemical undertook manufacture of synthetic phenol in 1915. Dow was the leading producer. Dow describes picric acid as “the main battlefield explosive used by the French. Large amounts [of phenol] also went to Japan, where it was made into picric
The Indian in the Cupboard book, Omri receives wins first prize in a story-writing competition for his tale "The Plastic Indian," which is actually a recounting of his real adventures with the cupboard; everyone else assumes that Omri's story is fictional. Wanting to share his good news, Omri brings Little Bear and Bright Stars through the magic cupboard. Little Bear returns badly injured by the French soldiers he has been fighting in his own time. Omri attempts to bring back Tommy, the WWI field medic from the first book, but receives only Tommy's neatly folded uniform and medical bag, causing him to realized that Tommy