1940s
Gladys Sellew’s 15-cents-a-day diet
Back in the 1930s, sociologist Gladys Sellew decided to find out if it was possible to survive spending only 15 cents a day on food. I think, in today's money, that would be about $3/day.She used herself as a test subject and, five years later, reported that not only was it possible, but she actually only spent an average of 13 cents a day on food.
She said she was going to remain on her frugal diet for the rest of her life.
Austin American Statesman - June 3, 1942
The headline below claimed that she gained weight on her diet, but in the picture above it sure doesn't look like she had any extra weight on her.
Hartford Courant - Feb 24, 1941
A typical day's meal plan:
Austin American Statesman - June 3, 1942
By way of comparison, here's a more recent version of an experiment in frugality: "Spending $5 a day on food. Is it possible?"
Posted By: Alex - Mon Dec 04, 2023 -
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Category: Food, 1940s, Dieting and Weight Loss
Dial Comes to Town
Posted By: Paul - Thu Nov 30, 2023 -
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Category: Family, PSA’s, Technology, Telephones, 1940s
Dog Collar with Decorative Tie
When you want to bring your dog to the office, he or she must be properly dressed in a business-like manner.Patent here.
Posted By: Paul - Mon Nov 27, 2023 -
Comments (1)
Category: Business, Fashion, Patents, Dogs, 1940s
Tri-Ang Bolo Game
The Tri-Ang Toy company in the UK seems to have been a conventional and successful business. But then, in some fit of madness, they chose to release "Bolo--The New Game."
Posted By: Paul - Sat Nov 11, 2023 -
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Category: Inventions, Really Bad Ideas, Success & Failure, Toys, 1940s, United Kingdom
Device to Cure Ingrown Toenail
This torture apparatus surely looks to provide worse pain than the malady it purports to cure. A metal hook goes under the toenail itself and yanks it up, whereupon it is strapped into position for permanent wear.Full patent here.
Posted By: Paul - Wed Nov 08, 2023 -
Comments (4)
Category: Inventions, Patents, 1940s, Diseases, Feet
Speed-O-Sex
Chick sexing is the profession of separating newly hatched female from male chicks. Hatcheries employ chick sexors so that they don't waste money feeding the male chicks that aren't going to grow up to lay eggs.Differentiating a male from a female chick is quite challenging, especially doing this quickly. The techniques for doing so were first developed in Japan and then brought to America, where Japanese-Americans dominated the industry for most of the 20th century.
The main industry organization was the National Chick Sexing Association and School. But a smaller school, based in Atlanta Georgia in the late 1940s, called itself Speed-O-Sex.
Gotta wonder if that name ever caused confusion among local residents.
More info: DiscoverNikkei.org
Chicago Japanese-American year book, 1947
Posted By: Alex - Mon Oct 16, 2023 -
Comments (1)
Category: Jobs and Occupations, Odd Names, Farming, 1940s
Education for Death
The Wikipedia page.
Posted By: Paul - Wed Oct 04, 2023 -
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Category: Propaganda, Thought Control and Brainwashing, War, Children, Cartoons, 1940s, Europe
If war gas falls from the sky
Buy scotch tape, because it might help you in the event of chemical warfare.
Posted By: Alex - Tue Oct 03, 2023 -
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Category: War, Advertising, 1940s
The Hobo Jungle Murder
You might or might not be surprised at the number of hits one gets when searching for "hobo murder." I guess that milieu was a really violent one. In any case, I highlight this instance for the great hobo names. I assume "Knubbs" meant "nubs," referring to the dead man's lack of hands.What would your own hobo name be, by the way?
Posted By: Paul - Tue Sep 26, 2023 -
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Category: Bums, Hobos, Tramps, Beggars, Panhandlers and Other Streetpeople, Death, Odd Names, Police and Other Law Enforcement, 1940s
Mystery Girl of 1947
Pulp International reveals:The Mystery Writers of America, which was founded in 1945 in New York City and soon expanded to other locations, in its early years used to throw what they called a Clues Party. In November 1947 the party was in Chicago, and the MWA awarded the title of Mystery Girl to the woman who performed best in a scream test—as opposed to screen test. Four contestants—Marybeth Prebis, Betty Rosboro, Bobby Jo Rodgers, and Portia Kubin—let fly with their most bloodcurdling screams, and the winner was Kubin, above.
Posted By: Paul - Sat Sep 23, 2023 -
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Category: Awards, Prizes, Competitions and Contests, Beauty, Ugliness and Other Aesthetic Issues, Literature, Books, 1940s, Screams, Grunts and Other Exclamations
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| Alex Boese Alex is the creator and curator of the Museum of Hoaxes. He's also the author of various weird, non-fiction, science-themed books such as Elephants on Acid and Psychedelic Apes. Paul Di Filippo Paul has been paid to put weird ideas into fictional form for over thirty years, in his career as a noted science fiction writer. He has recently begun blogging on many curious topics with three fellow writers at The Inferior 4+1. Contact Us |