Washing Your Hands and More

 In the past, people used urine to tan animal skins. Families would collect urine in a pot and sell it to tanneries. If someone was extremely poor, they were referred to as "piss poor." Even worse off were those who couldn't afford a pot at all—they were considered the lowest of the low.

Consider this: when you're washing your hands and complaining about the water temperature, think about how things used to be. Here are some fascinating facts from the 1500s:

1. June Weddings: Most people got married in June because they took their yearly bath in May. By June, they still smelled pretty good. Brides carried bouquets of flowers to hide any lingering body odor, which is why carrying a bouquet during weddings is a custom today.

2. Baths and Babies: Baths consisted of a big tub filled with hot water. The man of the house had the privilege of using the clean water first, followed by other family members. Babies were bathed last. The saying "Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater!" originated from this practice.

3. Thatched Roofs and Animals: Houses had thatched roofs made of thick straw. Animals (like cats and mice) lived in the roof to keep warm. When it rained, the roof became slippery, leading to the saying "It's raining cats and dogs."

4. Dirt Floors and Canopy Beds: Floors were dirt, except for the wealthy. They had slate floors that became slippery in winter. To prevent slipping, they spread straw (thresh) on the floor. Canopy beds were invented to protect against bugs and other debris falling from the roof.

5. Eating Stew and Leftovers: People cooked in big kettles over the fire. They ate mostly vegetables and little meat. Stew was a common dish, and leftovers were left in the pot overnight. The rhyme "Pea's porridge hot, peas porridge cold, peas porridge in the pot nine days old" reflects this practice.

6. Lead Poisoning from Pewter Plates: Wealthy individuals had pewter plates. However, the lead in pewter could leach into acidic foods, causing lead poisoning. Tomatoes, being acidic, were considered poisonous for about 400 years.

7. Bread and Social Status: Bread was divided by status. Workers got the burnt bottom of the loaf, the family got the middle, and guests received the top—the "upper crust."

8. Lead Cups and Knockout Combinations: Lead cups were used for ale or whisky. The combination of lead and alcohol could knock drinkers out for days.

9. Graveyard Shift and Dead Ringers: England faced a shortage of burial space. Coffins were reused, and sometimes scratch marks inside revealed that people had been buried alive. To prevent this, a string was tied to the corpse's wrist, leading to a bell above ground. The "graveyard shift" involved listening for the bell—someone could be "saved by the bell" or considered a "dead ringer."

And there you have it! History is anything but boring.