Buzz
Humanity is an ever-evolving species, leading many past trends or actions that were once normal to become exceedingly strange in the present time.
Since the Industrial Revolution, everything has changed at a staggering pace, to the point where we sometimes forget how bizarre the world used to be.
Today, many things that were once commonplace in the past seem peculiar or even quirky.
Ugliness Was Illegal
It might sound like a plot from a post-apocalyptic novel, but unfortunately, it was once a reality. 100 years ago, in many major US cities, ugliness was illegal.
Consider Chicago as an example. According to the Chicago Tribune, in 1881, Chicago issued a decree prohibiting individuals who were 'ill, disabled, ugly, or deformed in any way' from appearing on the streets of Chicago. If deemed excessively unsightly in public, one would have to pay a fine ranging from 1-50 USD (approximately 16-800 USD today) or be sent to a destitute asylum, resembling a madhouse for the impoverished.
As per researcher Susan Schweik, San Francisco was the pioneering city in the U.S. to pass an 'ugly law.' Several other major cities sequentially enacted their versions with wording closely resembling it, including Chicago, Illinois (1881); Denver, Colorado, and Lincoln, Nebraska (1889); Columbus, Ohio (1894); Portland, Oregon (1881); and New Orleans, Louisiana (1883).
After World War I, as returning veterans came home with limbs amputated and combat scars causing various deformities, public perception of individuals with disabilities began to shift. However, laws prohibiting ugly individuals still persisted in statutes, and their enforcement continued into the 1950s.
Additionally, San Francisco once issued an ordinance banning 'individuals with illness, deformity, disability, or bodies deformed to the point of causing terror' from appearing in public places. Offenders could face a maximum fine of 25 USD (around 400 USD today) or a maximum 25-day jail term but might be sent to a destitute asylum if deemed appropriate.
Cigarettes are believed to have the potential to alleviate asthma
A century ago, cigarettes often featured in advertisements with claims that items like cigarettes could 'temporarily alleviate severe asthma attacks.'
Cigarettes emerged as a widely consumed product in the late 19th century. Advertisements at that time claimed: 'A remedy for asthma, bronchitis, summer fever, flu, breathlessness... The joy of cigarettes is the cure for you!'
Marshall brand advertised that their cigarettes were a magical remedy for all throat issues, colds, fever, asthma, and even breath odor problems!
In reality, studies conducted by tobacco industry labs in the 1950s affirmed the cancer-causing effects of cigarettes.
However, these findings were publicly denied, and the tobacco industry continued to thrive in its deceit. An example is the case of researcher Ragnar Rylander from Sweden, who worked at the University of Geneva while being sponsored by Philip Morris. He was convicted of scientific fraud in passive smoking studies, and the truth was only uncovered in 2001.
The tobacco industry aggressively promoted the benefits of smoking, manipulating doctors and health experts. What's even sadder is that such cigarette ads persisted until the 1960s.
A dress for everyone
In contemporary society, it seems peculiar for young boys to wear dresses. However, in the past, before the 20th century, children's clothing was nearly gender-neutral. It was common, and even considered fashionable, for boys under 8 years old to wear dresses.
Children's fashion is believed to have originated in the 17th and 18th centuries when adolescents, along with European men, started wearing a garment called breeches, wide-legged trousers worn when riding horses.
According to The Vintage News, at that time, no one found this odd. It served a practical purpose—when a child was potty training, wearing a dress made it easier. Moreover, the intricate fastenings on men's trousers were complicated, especially for a child to wear. Therefore, dressing children in skirts was a highly convenient solution.
In the early 18th century, infants were often dressed in a garment called 'slips,' made of linen or cotton, covering the entire body and extending to the toes. As babies began to crawl and walk, their dresses, known as petticoats, shortened, with the gathered part sewn from the waist or under the chest downward. Even young boys wore petticoats until the age of 7 or 8.
Cavalry was very popular
The concept of soldiers charging directly into battle may seem distant in our modern world of tanks and Humvees, but 100 years ago, cavalry was still very popular.
In reality, during World War I, cavalry remained in use by the British, French, and German forces for reconnaissance and protection. In the East, it was even more prevalent—Russia alone had at least 400 cavalrymen attacking on the Eastern Front. However, as the technology for reliable tank production and other motorized vehicles became more widespread, cavalry was gradually phased out.
