Wikipedia:Main Page/Errors

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Errors in "On this day"

Today's OTD

• 1847 entry would naturally be interpreted as this being the first discovery. But according to our chloroform entry, "The anaesthetic qualities of chloroform were first described in 1842 in a thesis by Robert Mortimer Glover". Simpson's 1847 discovery was of the effect ON HUMANS (Glover had worked on dogs). I suggest to add "on humans" after "chloroform". Jmchutchinson (talk) 18:13, 4 November 2020 (UTC)

   Done Also changed "discovered" to "demonstrated"; it seems unlikely he "discovered" it worked by using it on dinner guests. This better matches the article wording. --Floquenbeam (talk) 18:41, 4 November 2020 (UTC)

Thanks for the quick work. I don't mind either way about discover vs demonstrate, but the James Young Simpson article does imply it was an accidental discovery rather than a deliberate demonstration: he and his 2 assistants tried out a different potential anaesthetic each evening! Jmchutchinson (talk) 19:06, 4 November 2020 (UTC)

@Jmchutchinson: Interesting, thanks. It looks like the articles Chloroform and James Young Simpson disagree; the former clearly says it was entertainment, not science. The source linked at the latter seems clear it was intentional experimentation. I'm happy to defer to your judgement if you think "discovered" is better. --Floquenbeam (talk) 19:53, 4 November 2020 (UTC)

Tomorrow's OTD

• Isaiah Berlin - unref section. The Rambling Man (Hands! Face! Space!!!!) 13:30, 4 November 2020 (UTC)

Day-after-tomorrow's OTD

• John Carroll (archbishop of Baltimore) - no expert, but our blurb says " Pope Pius VI appointed Father John Carroll..." but the source says "powers of a bishop, Father Carroll, having been selected, was confirmed by the pope, 6 June, 1784", so I'm not sure this is quite right. The Rambling Man (Hands! Face! Space!!!!) 15:32, 4 November 2020 (UTC)
• Scenes of Clerical Life - "The Sad Fortunes of the Reverend Amos Barton" should this be in not-quotes-but-italics as per the article or in-quotes-not-italics like the blurb? Should be consistent. The Rambling Man (Hands! Face! Space!!!!) 15:37, 4 November 2020 (UTC)

Errors in the summary of the featured list

Friday's FL

(May 17, tomorrow)

Monday's FL

(May 20)

Errors in the summary of the featured picture

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Any other Main Page errors

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