20 so absurd historical facts, that they seem true

I'm sure many of you have heard something so unbelievable and illogical, that, except nonsense, it is in another call no way. It turns out that in our history of such examples is full.

Thus, we present 20 facts from history, which seem to be utter insanity, but nevertheless, it all happened really.

In the XIX century in the USA and the UK have been popular soothing syrup Mrs. Winslow for children, which was considered an indispensable helper for moms and nannies. He helped with any pain, because it consisted of morphine and ammonia. Of course, what child does not calm down, if you give him this syrup.

In 1950-ies of tobacco companies advertised cigarettes as products that are beneficial to health.

In the middle Ages, about 600 thousand people were victims of witchcraft accusations. Such charges are in those days it was very difficult to prove or disprove.

Again, in the middle Ages convicted of a crime were ordalii ("God's judgment", or the test of water and fire). In one embodiment, testing the convict was supposed to put his hand into boiling water, if the hand remained unfired, it meant that God had protected him, was released.

The notorious Roman Emperor Caligula loved his horse Incitatus, which made him first a citizen of Rome, and then a Senator.

The Mexican General lópez de Santa Anna, which became, by the way, 11 times President of Mexico, with great pomp and buried his own leg, which was amputated due to wounds.

In the United States in 1917, Margaret Sanger was arrested and sent to prison for opening the world's first clinic for birth control.

By the way, about contraception. In Canada in the sixteenth century people drank infusions as a contraceptive measures. One of the ingredients in these potions were the testicles of the beaver.

In the United States during the colonial period, women were not given any painkillers during childbirth. It was believed that pain during childbirth is a punishment for the sin of the first woman eve.

Pope Gregory IX believed that cats are the devil's spawn, and killed them. As a result, the number of rats increased so much that broke the bubonic plague, which killed 100 million people.

In the XIII century, about 30 thousand children and teenagers participated in the so-called Crusade of the children, because the people believed that unarmed children of God will protect. Most of them died on the way, the rest enslaved.

In Ancient Egypt the servants of the pharaohs were daubed with honey so that the flies do not bother themselves rulers.

Nintendo was founded in 1889. It produced playing cards that are painted by hand.

In the nineteenth century, dentures were made from teeth of dead soldiers.

In France, during the release of the first film "Star wars" is still executed people by guillotine. In 1977 took place the last execution by beheading by guillotine.

The primitive inhabitants of Britain used skulls as cups.

In the period from 1909 to 1970 the Australian government took children from aboriginal families and placed in foster. The children were forced to forget their origins.

Wildlife of Saudi Arabia is unique. However, some representatives of the animal world imported in the country. For example, all the camels of Saudi Arabia gets from Australia.

Colombian Pedro Lopez enters the Guinness Book of records as the most violent maniac. He was convicted of killing 110 girls in 1983. Also known as the monster of the Andes, he has admitted to killing a total of 300 people. Was sentenced to 20 years, transferred to a psychiatric hospital, as was declared insane and released in 1998 for good behavior and cooperation with the police. At the moment his whereabouts are unknown.