18 strange and disgusting facts about Britain in the Victorian era

Stiff British during the reign of Queen Victoria seem to be an example of cinnosti and reason. It's hard to imagine, but the Brits those years wearing pants with a hole in the most interesting place, and a respectable doctor had delivered them from hysteria through a thorough massage of the clitoris. Bad food and canned food with arsenic, dead children in the photo, the Queen-guzzler, and other weird and creepy facts about Victorian era.

The doctors of that era were treated hysteria in women with Masturbation

In those days female "hysteria" (i.e., anxiety, irritability, nervousness, and similar symptoms) was considered as a serious problem. But doctors have found that these symptoms may be time to get rid of the "finger massage of the intimate area", which, if everything is done correctly, will cause "hysterical paroxysm".

Lingerie open in the crotch area

Victorian bloomers was as if cut in two halves for each leg is cut separately and connected by a drawstring or button at the waist in back. Thus, the stepper seam (i.e. crotch) was opened, which could be very convenient in certain cases, which we, being a very well-bred, we will not mention.

Month at that time was just a bloody nightmare

Many historians believe that because of the lack of specific hygiene at the time and that women's clothing consisted of many layers of tissue, the majority of women during menstruation does not do anything and allow blood to flow freely secretions and soak in the lower skirt. Other decisions delicate problem was to use cloth diapers, which were fastened with a belt, or the wool of sheep, which was glued to the vulva fat. Thank God for modern women there are pads and tampons.

In this era woman were very hairy everywhere...

In the Victorian era did not exist such useful items as a safe razor. And while then came up with compositions for hair removal, they were very toxic and was used only to remove hair from the face and hands. So, armpits, legs and intimate area was terribly overgrown. But given that all of them were hidden under several layers of clothes, it didn't matter.

The Thames was so filled with feces, garbage and dead animals, that it was possible to walk

By 1860, daily in the waters of the Thames dumped thousands of tons of feces, as well as storage for waste water is simply not there. While the river was the main source of drinking water for the inhabitants of London. People died like flies from dysentery, cholera and typhoid, believing that to blame the dirty air. Oh, how wrong they were!

Streets of the city in those days was no less hideous

In written testimony 1891 authored lady Harberton indicated that during the short walk across London the hem of her long dress gathered: two cigar stubs, nine cigarettes a piece of pork pie, four toothpicks, two studs, slice of cat food, half Shoe soles, tile, tobacco (suvanno), straw, dirt, scraps of paper and God knows what else.

In the 60‑ies of the XIX century crinolines became so wide that women got stuck in doors

"The era of crinolines" lasted from 1850 to 1870. At that time the basis of women's toilet has become dome-shaped smocked skirt, the form of which gave numerous petticoats. Sometimes the lady in this outfit really couldn't get through the door. And yet it was possible to inadvertently touch a candle and tilting it, and this is really dangerous for life. The satirical magazine "punch" even advised husbands to purchase insurance for wives is in the case of a fire because of crinolines. So this fashion trend was short-lived.

Often the food was spoiled or just bad quality

Before the invention of pasteurization, the milk could be a source of tuberculosis. It was impossible to rely on the safety products, especially those bought in large cities. Unscrupulous traders were selling rotten meat mixed with fat fresh carcasses; bakers added to the dough alum and chalk to make the cake look whiter. In pickles and other canned products added arsenic to improve the taste and to make it brighter. Oh, and kill the buyer.

Queen Victoria was forced chefs to cook Chan curry every day, even though she couldn't stand it

Victoria couldn't stand spicy food, but as a ruler of India, insisted on everyday cooking curry — just in case her visit to the "Eastern people".

But other food Victoria ate at the speed of light

In childhood, Victoria was raised in a very strict and didn't allow a lot there, so when she became Queen, you did everything to catch up. She ate a lot and with incredible speed, that was a problem for her guests — after all, the etiquette they had to finish every dish as soon as it finished eating the Queen (even if they managed to bite off a piece). In General, by today's standards Queen Victoria was a woman quite fat.

Toothpaste made from charcoal and honey

In one of the magazines of the time published a recipe for "toothpaste", claiming that the coal powder and honey form the perfect tool for brushing teeth. Coal? Possible. But honey? No, for teeth is hardly useful.

Women have been making masks for the face of raw meat

A author of beauty tips recommended readers: "Every night, make a mask using thin slices of raw beef, which, as they say, protects the skin from wrinkles and gives it a freshness." Of course, if your dog is not going to eat you face in the dream.

In the 1870‑ies star of the freak show London and Liverpool was "boy with a dog face" from Russia

This Russian boy's name was Fyodor Evtikhiev, and he suffered from hypertrichosis. Feodor and his father Adrian was presented to the public as "two of the greatest wonders of our time". Their faces were covered with hair, making them similar to dogs breed scatterer. Subsequently Andrian died from complications of alcoholism, but Fedor continued to "please people" for many years.

The boys wore dresses until then, until it is time to go to school

In the affluent families of young children, regardless of gender usually dressed in white, delicately embellished dress with ruffles and lace. And caps with ribbons too, was the same as the girls and boys.

Almost 50% of children died before the age of five

The highest child mortality rate was, of course, in the slums. Slums Seven intersections (London) in London and Angelic meadows (Angel Meadow) in Manchester was so terrible that they were called hell on earth. In Manchester in the entire one square mile, there were more than 30 000 workers, mostly Irish immigrants. The children were left to themselves, eat any leftovers, which managed to find, and some even ate cats and rats.

The grieving family was photographed with the corpses of their children

Rich people usually make photos, and those who could not afford this expensive, hired by the artist. For example, a kind artist named John HORSLEY Callcott often visited the morgue to paint portraits of the recently deceased children. A posthumous image was often the only memory of the departed loved ones.

In wealthy homes some reason loved to eat fried calf's ears

In the Victorian era, when gluttony coexisted with incredible thrift, not a single piece of edible food is wasted. For example, for dinner boiled calf's head entirely, and the brains were prepared as a separate dish: they resembled the pink blocks floating in butter sauce. Calf's ears shaved, cooked and then fried in boiling oil. A kind of feast in the style of Hannibal Lecter.

Charles Darwin loved dishes of exotic animals

Darwin not only studied endangered animals, but also loved their feast. He joined the Cambridge club of gluttons, the members of which eat unusual food from hawks, squirrels, larvae and owls. And while traveling scientist tasted iguana, the giant tortoise, the Armadillo, and the Puma.