We sometimes wonder if generations in the future will look back on us and exclaim, “Ugh! How could they live that way? Didn’t they know any better?” In certain cases, it would probably be justified. But what about where our more “modern-day” health remedies are concerned? Are there widely accepted practices today that will appall people fifty years into the future? Speculation aside, that’s exactly what we’re doing today as we ogle with varying degrees of shock and disgust at the way health was managed in the past! Bleach, coal, tar, leeches–you’re in for a wild ride on this one!
#1: Drinking Coal Tar to Treat Coughs
The box says it outright: “Simple, Safe, Effective.” But was breathing coal tar, a byproduct of coal, into your lungs any of those things? The answer is no! Despite this, coal tar vaporizers were common in the 20th century, treating ailments of the throat and lungs. Little did people know that they were in danger of making their condition even worse.
