▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 1 5 ▁the ▁partners ▁met ▁with ▁William ▁Mur do ch , ▁the ▁invent or ▁of ▁coal - gas ▁light ing , ▁this ▁being ▁seen ▁as ▁providing ▁a ▁growth ▁in ▁work ▁for ▁their ▁found ry . ▁Co al , ▁from ▁the ▁company ' s ▁mines , ▁was ▁provided ▁as ▁charge ▁for ▁be eh ive ▁co ke ▁o vens ▁which ▁were ▁built ▁on ▁the ▁site . ▁ ▁By ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 th ▁century ▁the ▁company ▁were ▁not ▁only ▁min ing ▁coal ▁and ▁iron stone ▁but ▁building ▁bl ast ▁furn aces , ▁co ke ▁o vens ▁and ▁chemical ▁plant . ▁He avy ▁section ▁iron , ▁cast ▁in ▁the ▁found ry ▁was ▁used ▁in ▁two ▁icon ic ▁structures : ▁Tower ▁Bridge , ▁crossing ▁the ▁river ▁Th ames ▁in ▁London , ▁and ▁the ▁Edd yst one ▁L ighth ouse . ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁ 1 8 9 0 s , ▁the ▁company ▁introduced ▁its ▁Iz al ▁dis in fect ant ▁made ▁from ▁dist illed ▁coal ▁tar . ▁The ▁name ▁became ▁well - known ▁for ▁its ▁use ▁on ▁a ▁best - s elling ▁" med ic ated ▁to ile t ▁paper " ▁often ▁found ▁in ▁schools ▁and ▁public ▁lav ator ies , ▁noted ▁for ▁its ▁ab ras ive ▁quality . ▁According ▁to ▁the ▁radio ▁document ary ▁Now ▁W ash ▁Your ▁H ands , ▁the ▁reason ▁for ▁its ▁u bi qu ity ▁was ▁because ▁local ▁authorities ▁were ▁given ▁it ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁a ▁bulk - p urch asing ▁agreement ▁when ▁ordering