A vibrator and 6 other items that people use for other purposes
Some things were invented for a completely different purpose than what we use them for now. But this is even better!
Initially, the vibrator was not invented for fun, but for good purposes. With its help, doctors of the XIX century treated "female hysteria", which meant a number of symptoms: general depression or, conversely, anxiety, insomnia, lack of appetite… Hysteria, by the way, was quite common — it was believed that about 75% of women were affected by it.
The massage could last from 10 minutes to several hours, until the patient began to feel better. In 1869, a steam-powered massaging and vibrating device was patented to help doctors. Its creator, George Tyler, warned that the use of the device is only possible in medical institutions to "avoid overdose". Today, fortunately, you can buy a vibrator without a prescription!
It was originally used for purely utilitarian purposes: according to one legend, bright neckerchiefs served as an identification mark for soldiers of the Croatian army in the Thirty Years ' War of the XVII century. After the end of the fighting, the regiment of soldiers arrived to celebrate the victory in Paris, where the ties attracted the attention of the city's fashionistas, and then King Louis XIV himself.
According to another version, ties were known even during the Roman Empire: legionaries wore strips of cloth so as not to rub the neck with the plates of the shell. The modern tie appeared in 1926, when a certain Jesse Langsdorf sewed three strips of fabric on an oblique-thanks to this cut, the tie did not twist and retained its original shape.
The task of the first pillows was to protect the wearer from insects that could get into his ears, nose and hair from the ground during sleep. The first pillow that has come down to us was in use 9,000 years ago in Iraq. It is perfectly preserved, as it is made of stone. (Yes, the pillow fight in those days was much more spectacular!)
The ancient Chinese also used hard pillows, as they believed that soft ones contribute to the loss of vital energy and also do not protect against demons.
In general, the pillow was considered a multifunctional object: in Africa, they were used to communicate with the souls of their ancestors, Japanese geishas put small hard (made of stone, porcelain or metal) pillows, so as not to spoil their hairstyles. In medieval Europe, pillows were considered a sign of weakness, so men did not use them.
Wrapping film with air bubbles inside, which everyone loves to burst, is now used to protect items from damage during transportation.
In 1957, inventors Alfred Fielding and Mark Chavannes simply sewed two shower curtains and were going to sell them as an avant-garde wallpaper, but the idea turned out to be a failure. Then they tried to sell their brainchild as an insulator for a greenhouse, but nothing good came out of it either (although the film insulated well, by the way).
Marketer Frederick Bowers suggested using the film as a wrapping material, and IBM bought the idea, since old newspapers or foam balls used to be used for this purpose.
The first high-heeled shoes were worn by Persian warriors in the XVI century. Such shoes were not intended for walking, but were intended to provide stability to the cavalry soldiers, so that, resting on the stirrups with their feet, they could shoot on the move.
In Europe, high-heeled shoes have become a sign of the upper class precisely because of their inconvenience.
Cornflakes were invented by the Kellogg brothers, John Harvey and Will Keith, Seventh-day Adventists. Faith forbade them to eat meat, drink alcohol, or smoke tobacco, and milk and eggs were prescribed to be consumed in limited quantities.
Vera also very strictly forbade masturbation. John Harvey Kellogg, who became the head of the Adventist treatment center, believed that masturbation was a manifestation of insanity and that people who committed this grave sin should be severely punished.
What does cornflakes have to do with it, you may ask. The connection, according to John Harvey, is direct. Carnal desires are caused by improper nutrition, such as red meat. To avoid temptation, it is necessary to consume food from cereals. That's why John invented cornflakes.
Originally, cotton T-shirts were soldiers ' underwear, intended to be worn under a uniform jacket. They appeared during the American-Spanish war (1894). They were comfortable, easy to wash and did not prick like wool, so they quickly moved from the category of underwear to everyday clothing.
In the 1950s, Tropix Tox began using T-shirts for advertising, placing inscriptions and Disney characters on them. Then there were polo shirts, V-neck T-shirts, and their expansion was unstoppable.