A Book of Firsts

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A book of firsts | Hucksters and Pioneers; A fascinating look at how it all began. Economist, Oct 29, 2011
http://www.economist.com/node/21534754
(book review on Patrick Robertson, Robertson’s Book of Firsts: Who Did What for the First Time. Bloomsbury, 2011)

Note:
(a) The American film director DW Griffith invented false eyelashes, while making the film "Intolerance" in 1916. The actress was  Seena Owen.
(b) The review mentioned "public lavatory (1852) and sliced bread (1912)."
(i) George Jennings
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Jennings
(1810-1882; English; sections 1.2 1851 and 1.3 1852 (patented))
(ii) flush toilet
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flush_toilet
(section 1 History: 1851, 1851)
(iii) sliced bread
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sliced_bread

(c) Regarding chewing gum.
(i) John B Curtis
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_B._Curtis
(1827-1897; section 2 Mid life)
(ii) spruce
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spruce
(Native Americans in New England also used the sap [which contains resin] to make a gum which was used for various reasons, and which was the basis of the first commercial production of chewing gum)

(d)
(i) Percy Spencer
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Percy_Spencer
(1895-1970; became known as the inventor of the microwave oven)
(ii) Raytheon Company
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raytheon_Company
(founded in 1922 under another name, whose first product was a gaseous (helium) rectifier. The electron tube was christened with the name Raytheon ("light of/from the gods"))

(e) Regrading elevator, the book review stated, "An arrangement of weights and pulleys brought Madame de Châteauroux to him (with help from servants), and preserved his energies for her charms."

"Installed on the outside of the king's palace at Versailles, his elevator went from the first to the second floor (linking the king's apartment to that of his mistress).The king entered it from his balcony, and then men stationed inside a chimney raised and lowered the elevator through the use of ropes and pulleys."
Shanna Freeman, Who invented the elevator?  How Stff works? undated.
http://science.howstuffworks.com ... ed-the-elevator.htm

(i) Louis XV of France (1710-1774; reign 1715-1774;  House of Bourbon) was succeeded by his grandson Louis XVI.
(ii) For Madame de Châteauroux, see Marie Anne de Mailly
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marie_Anne_de_Mailly
(1717-1744; letters patent were issued creating her duchesse de Chateauroux)

(f) roller skate
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roller_skates
(section 1 History)
(g) For in-flight meals, see 1919 in aviation
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1919_in_aviation
(October 11 – Handley Page Transport begins offering the first in-flight meals, on its London-Brussels service. The meals, consisting of a sandwich, fruits and chocolate, are sold at 3 shillings each)

(i) Handley Page Transport
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Handley_Page_Transport
(Handley Page Transport Ltd was an airline company founded in 1919 by Frederick Handley Page in the new era of civil flying after the First World War)
(ii) Frederick Handley Page
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_Handley_Page
(1885-1962; an English industrialist who was a pioneer in the design and manufacture of aircraft)