Quote:
Originally Posted by MacEachaidh
I wonder how that came about? Chemically, they're nothing alike (paraffin wax is just a solid form of paraffin, also called paraffin oil) - paraffin is edible, and kerosene distinctly not. Not two things you'd want to confuse !  |
"Kerosene" was originally a trademarked brand name. Perhaps paraffin might have been the original "generic" name, and kerosene the brand name of the trademark holder? That's a pure guess, though!