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| The propellant cordite was an essential component of ammunition during the First World War, and the solvent acetone was used in its manufacture. Acetone was usually distilled from wood, and was mainly produced by the great timber-growing countries. Before the war, most of the acetone used in Britain was imported from the United States. |
| Faced with the possibility of a serious maize shortage experiments were begun to find a substitute for it in acetone production and it was discovered that the horse chestnut could be used as an alternative. |
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