Babies
Branding Babies
The 1930s-era solution to the problem of babies getting mixed up in hospitals was to temporarily brand newborns with a UV-ray lamp. The procedure was said to be painless, though it was terrible PR to describe it as 'branding'.
Pittsburgh Press - Sep 25, 1938
Minneapolis Star Tribune - Sep 14, 1930
Posted By: Alex - Sun Oct 27, 2019 -
Comments (2)
Category: Babies, 1930s
Glass Box Baby
Sara Franklin's 15 minutes of fame came from being the first baby raised in a glass box. Or in an Air crib, as the device, invented by psychologist B.F. Skinner, was called. More info from wikipedia:The air crib was a controversial invention. It was popularly mischaracterized as a cruel pen, and it was often compared to Skinner's operant conditioning chamber, commonly called the "Skinner Box". This association with laboratory animal experimentation discouraged its commercial success, though several companies attempted production.
Sydney Morning Herald - July 5, 1964
Indianapolis Star - Jan 12, 1966
Posted By: Alex - Tue Oct 22, 2019 -
Comments (3)
Category: Babies, 1960s
Follies of the Madmen #439
No cereal that has touched dirty baby butt is going in my dish!
Source.
Posted By: Paul - Tue Aug 13, 2019 -
Comments (4)
Category: Babies, Business, Advertising, Food, Hygiene, 1900s
Baby Naming Service
For nominatively challenged parents, a new company offers help. Future Perfect charges $350 for a personalized list of 10 possible first and middle names for a newborn. For $225, you'll get a list of first names only, while for $100 they'll provide “a namestorming session like no other.” And for a mere $75, they’ll also help you name your pet.Add this to my list of things I'd be willing to do for less money.
Posted By: Alex - Fri Jun 21, 2019 -
Comments (4)
Category: Babies, Business
Meats for Babies
Back in the late 1940s and early 50s, Swift's urged mothers to start feeding their babies canned, processed meat at 6 weeks because "Results of actual test feedings with six-weeks-old infants show meat gives baby a better start in life!”I'm no expert, but six weeks seems awful early to start feeding your kid meat, even if it has been pureed into meat mush. Aren't most kids still on breast milk or formula at six weeks?
Boston Globe - Apr 4, 1948
Posted By: Alex - Wed Dec 05, 2018 -
Comments (2)
Category: Babies, Food, 1950s
S’mores Story
S'mores Story from Monster Truck Ninja on Vimeo.
Posted By: Paul - Thu Jun 21, 2018 -
Comments (1)
Category: Anthropomorphism, Babies, Cannibalism, Death, Food
Baby Olympics (and other ideas of Edwin Paget)
Retired professor Edwin Paget (1902-1989) decided that one of the problems with the world was that babies weren't exercising enough. Therefore, their brains started to go into decline. In an effort to correct this problem, he tried to organize what he claimed were the first ever "baby olympics" in the summer of 1980.I'm not sure they were ever held, but events would have included "crawling, weightlifing, tug-of-war, 'head-over-heels rolling' and three aquatic events, including the 'leaping fish from the water' swim."
Paget advocated a number of other unusual ideas, such as periodic brain scans for U.S. presidents, to check that their brains had sufficient oxygen levels.
He believed that the rules of basketball should be revised so that the game would be played continuously, with all free throws shot at the end of the game.
And he also designed a line of women's clothing with built-in lighting, saying, "Unlike the bikini, which reveals almost everything, much of which is unattractive, lighting permits a homely girl to reveal only her best, possibly in color."
A former student of his remembers some of Paget's other oddball ideas here.
Twin Falls Times-News - Jun 19, 1980
Lincoln Journal Star - Dec 2, 1979
Auburn Journal - Aug 9, 1981
Bonus: Back in 1965 Paget campaigned to be the first gold prospector on the moon.
source: Historic Images
Amarillo Globe Times - Nov 3, 1965
Posted By: Alex - Wed May 23, 2018 -
Comments (2)
Category: Babies, Eccentrics, Exercise and Fitness
Happiness Executive
Over in Abu Dhabi, an eight-month-old baby was appointed to a position in a government office as a "happiness executive." Apparently it was believed the presence of the kid might boost morale. Or maybe it was just someone's scheme to save on daycare. Following complaints, officials are now investigating.More info: thenational.ae
Posted By: Alex - Wed May 02, 2018 -
Comments (2)
Category: Babies, Jobs and Occupations
Cow Triplets
Cows are a definite WU theme. But in all these years, I do not believe we have ever commented on the rare instance of triplet calves. The odds of a successful gestation and delivery are "one in eight million."
Yet there was such a birth in April of 2016. And here was another from 1972.
Of course, with 1.5 billion cattle (half male? fewer than half male?) as of 2013, that could still be a lot of triplets per year.
Posted By: Paul - Mon Aug 22, 2016 -
Comments (2)
Category: Animals, Babies, Natural Wonders
Baby’s burps predict his future
Back in 1964, Dr. Milton Berger called attention to the predictive power of a baby's burps. A baby with "strong and clear" burps will grow up to be a leader. However, the majority of people are "dithering" burpers. They'll become your run-of-the-mill member of the faceless masses.Odd theory, but probably as good a predictor of future success as anything.
The Fresno Bee - Aug 21, 1964
Posted By: Alex - Sat Feb 20, 2016 -
Comments (5)
Category: Babies, Predictions, Babies and Toddlers, 1960s
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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 |