Death by Gas-Lift Bed

Helen Davey recently died when her "Ottoman-styled gas-lift bed" collapsed on her neck and asphyxiated her.

I didn't know what a "gas-lift bed" was, so I googled it and found the video below. I agree with the coroner that the design of these beds seems dangerous.

We've previously posted about dangerous beds with the case of the man who was trapped for five days in a folding bed.

More info: cnn.com

Posted By: Alex - Tue Oct 15, 2024 - Comments (2)
Category: Death | Furniture

Protose

Read more about this early meat substitute here.

Kellogg credited his interest in meat substitutes to Charles William Dabney, an agricultural chemist and the Assistant Secretary of Agriculture. Dabney wrote to Kellogg on the subject around 1895.[16]: 119 

In 1896, Kellogg introduced but did not patent "Nuttose", the first commercially produced alternative to meat. Nuttose was made primarily from peanuts and resembled "cold roast mutton".[42]: 6  By seasoning or marinating, Nuttose could be made to taste like fried chicken or barbeque. Served with mashed potatoes and vegetables, it could mimic a traditional American meal.[69]

On March 19, 1901, Kellogg was granted the first United States Patent for a "vegetable substitute for meat", for a blend of nuts and grain cereals called "Protose". In applying for US patent 670283A, John Harvey Kellogg, "Vegetable-food Compound", issued June 8, 1899, Kellogg described Protose as a product "which shall possess equal or greater nutritive value in equal or more available form... By proper regulation of the temperature and proportions of the ingredients, various meat-like flavors are developed, which give the finished product very characteristic properties."[42]: 6 [70] Nuttose and Protose were the first of many meat alternatives.[69]

Posted By: Paul - Tue Oct 15, 2024 - Comments (1)
Category: Food | Imitations, Forgeries, Rip-offs and Faux | Inventions | 1900s

Science Fair Heart Transplant

March 1968: Robert McDavid, a junior at Schulte High School in Terre Haute, Indiana, performed a heart transplant on a live rabbit for his science fair project. School administrators had approved his project. In fact, they applauded it as highly topical since the first successful human heart transplantation had been performed just the year before by the South African surgeon Christiaan Barnard.

After performing the operation, McDavid measured the length of time that the rabbit's body functioned with the new organ. He later exhibited the results of his project at the Regional Science Fair of Indiana State University and received an award for creativity in his field.

Questioned by reporters, McDavid revealed that he had prepared for the procedure by first conducting a number of practice operations, including skin grafts and bone section transplants on chickens. He said that he had also read a number of books about transplants and had conducted interviews with several physicians.

I haven't been able to track down if McDavid went on to become a surgeon.

Terre Haute Tribune - Mar 17, 1968

Posted By: Alex - Mon Oct 14, 2024 - Comments (4)
Category: School | Science | Surgery

Artwork Khrushchev Probably Would Not Have Liked 58

Posted By: Paul - Mon Oct 14, 2024 - Comments (0)
Category: Art | Retail Establishments | 1920s

Thickest Tongue

Ambra Collina of Italy recently earned a Guinness World Record for having the thickest tongue.

I've never seen anyone be able to thicken their tongue like she does. It's definitely not an ability I possess. No matter how hard I try, my tongue remains the same circumference. Is this some unique, bizarro talent she possesses, or are many people able to thicken their tongue?

More info: upi.com

Posted By: Alex - Sun Oct 13, 2024 - Comments (0)
Category: Body | World Records

Telephone Muffler

Posted By: Paul - Sun Oct 13, 2024 - Comments (3)
Category: Inventions | Telephones | 1910s

46 reasons not to use LSD

The "46 reasons" were actually one reason based on flawed science.

A 1967 study had shown that LSD could cause a two-fold increase in chromosomal breaks in cell cultures. But subsequent studies showed that the breaks were a result of the concentrations of the drug being used — and that pretty much ANY substance, in similar concentrations, would cause chromosomal breaks. In fact, there was no evidence that LSD caused significant chromosomal breaks or was a carcinogen.

More info: Science News

March of Dimes - 1968

Posted By: Alex - Sat Oct 12, 2024 - Comments (1)
Category: Drugs | Psychedelic | Science | Advertising | 1960s

A Lesson In Love

The creator's Wikipedia page.

Posted By: Paul - Sat Oct 12, 2024 - Comments (2)
Category: Humor | Self-help Schemes | Vinyl Albums and Other Media Recordings | Psychology | 1960s

Air-Conditioning the Outdoors

House Beautiful - Oct 1966

Posted By: Alex - Fri Oct 11, 2024 - Comments (0)
Category: Advertising | 1960s

Pop-Up Postcards

We know that Pop-Up books are a well-liked category. So why not apply the notion to postcards?

Full patent here.

Posted By: Paul - Fri Oct 11, 2024 - Comments (0)
Category: Inventions | Patents | 1900s | Postal Services