Do You Know the Histories of These Everyday Items?

We don’t give much thought to the items we use today. Who’s truly thinking about the history of Listerine at the bathroom sink? How many of us stop to think when the pillow was invented? Hopefully you are because these mundane items have fascinating stories behind them!  

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1. Chainsaws

When you think chainsaws, you likely think of a crazed Texas family—not two Scottish doctors named John Aitken and James Jeffray, who used them for childbirth. As if the miracle of life wasn’t traumatic enough, the 18th century implemented this popular tool to help during childbirth. It was a hand crank device at the time, mainly used for symphysiotomies and the removal of diseased bone. 

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2. Lysol

We recognize Lysol today as a powerful cleaning brand, but 19th-century women had a whole other use in mind. Peddled as a popular means of birth control, Lysol was once branded “the leading feminine hygiene product” in America and used as contraception until the 1960s. It unfortunately took that long for medical journals to recognize the dangers of such uses. 

Lysol company on Wikimedia

3. CPR Dolls

If you’ve ever been slightly weirded out by CPR dolls, don’t worry—you’re not alone. She goes by many names, mainly Resusci Anne, and was actually molded after a real woman’s face. She’s based on L'Inconnue de la Seine, the death mask crafted for a 19th-century Jane Doe pulled from the River Seine. 

Rama on Wikimedia

4. Treadmills

We may joke that today’s treadmills are torture, but they’re a far cry from the pain they used to inflict. Think of 19th-century treadmills more like ellipticals: used for punishment against prisoners sentenced to hard labor. Inmates were forced to spend upwards of six hours mindlessly climbing. Some were even used in lieu of windmills, using labor instead to grind grain. 

British Library on Wikimedia

5. Super Glue

As if hand crank chainsaws weren’t bad enough, super glue was used to treat battle wounds during the Vietnam War. In 1942, Harry Coover Jr. and a team of scientists were originally tasked with creating clear plastic gunsights for the war effort. Instead, Coover Jr.’s discoveries found a compound that stuck to everything without heat or pressure. Though it never saw WWII, his product was used on injured soldiers during the Vietnam War until they could make it to a hospital. Even today, medical-grade super glue is used to treat varicose veins or coating joints.  

Glsysrp on Wikimedia

6. Graham Crackers

Impure thoughts will be the death of us—or so thought Sylvester Graham, the catalyst for this bland snack. During the 19th century, Graham believed in many things: the temperance movement, vegetarianism, and the harms of self-pleasure. He thought a tasteless diet would keep us on the straight and narrow, and his followers agreed, eventually baking what they called a “graham cracker.” It was a bland wafer cookie made with unsifted, coarsely ground wheat flour.

King of Hearts on Wikimedia

7. Magnetic Refrigerator Doors

The first refrigerators didn’t come with Wi-Fi or speaking doors. Original iceboxes were sealed with a mechanical latch, thereby only opened from the outside. Unfortunately, this made them prime targets for accidental trappings, many of which occurred with children. After several documented cases of suffocation, America created the Refrigerator Safety Act in 1956, which led to the magnetic seals we know today. 

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8. T-Shirts

Plain white tees are a staple in anyone’s wardrobe today, but they’ve actually been around longer than you think. They were originally made in the 19th century to replace cumbersome undergarments and were worn mostly by hardworking laborers subjected to hot environments. The U.S. Navy then started using them in 1913.

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9. Rollercoasters

LaMarcus Adna Thompson is known as the “Father of the American Roller Coaster,” however, his main goal wasn’t to simply entertain. It’s said that his idea stemmed from the newfound debauchery of brothels and saloons, and as a devout Christian, he wanted to bring back squeaky-clean fun. Enter his roller coaster. Sure, its top speed was 6 mph, but that was a big deal in the 19th century, and Americans soon flocked to his design for the wholesome fun he desperately aimed to provide. 

Eng. by E.G. Williams & Bro. N.Y. on Wikimedia

10. Pillows

The first recorded pillows were way back in 7,000 BC—slightly elevated and often made of wood or stone, they were actually status symbols for the wealthy. In fact, the more pillows you had, the more affluent you were, even if their main purpose was to keep bugs out of your mouth and nose. It wasn’t until the Romans that civilization saw softer models. 

Gary Todd on Wikimedia

11. Smoke Detectors

Believe it or not, this life-saving invention was discovered by accident. Walter Jaeger initially tried to make a device that detected poison gas. He failed, lit a cigarette in frustration, and discovered that his device actually picked up the smoke. Though fire alarms were originally patented in the 1890s, this 1930s discovery helped pave the way for modern models we use today. 

Curpharar on Wikimedia

12. Dentures

Dentures: an everyday fixture made of porcelain and resin. Back in the day, though? A completely different story. Dentures have been around since 7 BC, often crafted from a combination of human and animal teeth and held together with bands. Molds were eventually introduced in the 16th century but it wasn’t until the 19th century that we stopped using animal bones altogether.   

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13. Kleenex

We can trace Kleenex back to the First World War. Before it became a notable tissue brand, this material went through several innovations. It was first created as a crepe paper filter for gas masks. That same design was then reshaped into the popular sanitary napkin brand, Kotex. A final rework in 1924 took the original design and made it even thinner and softer, which then became Kleenex!

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14. Dance Marathons

Dance marathons seem vanilla on the surface, but their origins can be traced back to the Great Depression—a time that was literally do or die on the dancefloor. Competitions not only offered sufficient cash prizes, but food and cots to sleep in, which was a step up from the scarcity of the Depression. That said, dancers had to work for their paycheck, often wearing holes through their shoes, passing out on the floor, and trying to manage with only 15-minute breaks. One man, Homer Morehouse, was only 27 years old when he collapsed and lost his life. He danced for 87 hours.  

National Photo Company on Wikimedia

15. Candy Land

Kids everywhere adore this board game, but it was just as popular with children in the 1940s. After school teacher Eleanor Abbott contracted polio, she spent a lot of time recovering with fellow patients, most of whom were children. To keep them entertained, she invented a simple board game. It was so well-received that she eventually pitched it to Milton Bradley, and the company published it a year later.

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16. Trick-or-Treating

Forget about free candy and adorable costumes. Trick-or-treating’s origins trace back to the Celtic festival of Samhain where villagers would don animal skins to ward off any spirits. They also left tables of food out to appease any apparitions. 

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17. Protective Seals on Medication

Have you ever wondered why OTC medication comes with protective seals? Unfortunately, the answer is far more sinister than you think. In 1982, an unknown Chicago suspect laced Tylenol capsules with potassium cyanide, claiming at least seven lives. In response, Johnson & Johnson settled the lawsuits filed against them and quickly developed tamper-proof seals. 

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18. Listerine

For years Listerine has touted itself as being tough on germs, but it wasn’t originally meant for bad breath. The original formula was introduced in 1879 by chemist Joseph Lawrence. It was used as a surgical antiseptic.   

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19. Barber Poles

Barbers weren’t always a spot for a haircut and a shave. In the Middle Ages, these shops were a one-stop shop for medical procedures, including tooth extraction and bloodletting. The original pole was red and white, both colors symbolizing the red from patients’ veins and the white bandages. Blue was later introduced, though theories vary on what that shade represents—some claim it’s for the veins themselves while others suggest it pays homage to the American flag. 

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20. Disney Movies

We all have a favorite Disney movie, but we doubt viewers are as enamored with the original stories. While not every film was adapted from a Brothers Grimm tale, the ones that were took generous detours from the disturbing subject matter of the originals. 

Reise Reise  on Wikimedia