[Nitrocellulose](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitrocellulose) AKA guncotton, derived from wood pulp or fabric, was a very interesting material at the turn of the century: 

- it was used to create modern smokeless gunpowder that allowed people to make holes in each other from unheard before distances; 

- it was also used as an [ointment to seal these holes — collodion](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collodion), a sort of surgical glue; 

- and it also was the base for cinema film stock, the notoriously flammable [celluloid](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celluloid) film, which eventually would inspire new people to fight instead of the perforated ones.

(It also had a myriad of other uses, from old-person makeup and flammable spy code sheets to ping-pong balls and laquer on Gibson guitars. Also, extremely flammable and sometimes exploding billiard balls, which was a rather brief affair.)