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If you think people today do strange things, you should delve into history, and it doesn’t have to be far.
You’ll find that our ancestors carried out such oddities that we can hardly imagine today. Their actions, however, were completely common and legal at the time.
If you want to learn more about these frightening customs of the past, read on!
1. Treatment with cocaine
A hundred years ago people did not consider this substance harmful.
On the contrary, it was commonly available in pharmacies, sold without a prescription as a remedy for coughs and toothaches.
Cocaine was also recommended as a sedative for children.
And like other pharmaceutical products, cocaine also had extensive advertising.
2. Sending children by mail
It sounds like a joke, but as late as the beginning of the 20th century Americans could legally send their child as a parcel.
This service cost roughly 15 cents, provided their child did not weigh more than a standard parcel.
The „caring“ parents who used it most likely wanted to send their children to relatives to save money.
3. Outdoor children’s cages
In the 1930s, similar wire cages were commonly used in British households.
With these dangerous structures, children could breathe fresh air while their mothers were busy with housework.
It sounds almost unbelievable, but these cages were considered safe.
What were those parents thinking back then?
4. Private garden hermit
Rich people often have very eccentric whims.
In the past, however, these whims were not only eccentric but also endangering the lives of others.
In the 18th century it was popular to have your own personal hermit in your garden who was not allowed to wash or cut his hair or nails.
These hermits lived in self-built hermitages and their owners presented them to their visitors as „living decorations“.
5. Radioactive toys
In the 1950s radiation was considered a fairly safe thing.
Similar „atomic“ toys, such as the mini laboratory you see in the picture, were very popular.
The experiment kit contained real polonium and uranium.
6. Human zoos
Human zoological gardens aimed to show people originating from Asia and Africaas „proof“ of Darwin’s theory of evolution.
This shameful form of entertainment existed for many years.
In the image above you can see one such zoo in Belgium in 1958.
7. Smoking during pregnancy prescribed by a doctor
Smokers are nowadays restricted in many ways. However, 70 years ago American doctors recommended smoking to their pregnant patients as a remedy for constipation.
So a woman who had just given birth was not forbidden to light up in the hospital.
The idea that doctors would practice these methods today is rather frightening.
Which item on our list surprised you the most? Let us know in the comments!
