If you think that organs and bones crushing corsets were the most bizarre creation of the Victorian Era, you could not be more wrong.
Victorians have come up with its fair share of weird inventions. Even though this era was a long period of peace and prosperity, science was going through a weird phase.
Mustache Cups
Facial hair was the biggest pride of a Victorian gentleman. They would do anything to keep them well groomed. Wax was used to create and maintain the texture of the mustache.
This wax would then melt while drinking any hot beverage. As it is wisely said need is the mother of invention, mustache cups were invented. Adams Harvey was the man to come up with this invention.
The top of a teacup was covered in a semicircular guard that stopped the hot beverage to come in contact with the mustache. This bizarre invention also paved way for more mustache caring cutlery like spoons.
These spoons had a raised guard at one of their ide edges. After World War I, these cups and spoons were not required as men started to shave their mustaches.
Environment Friendly Trains
Trains in Victorian era ran on air. Yes air. You may think that’s so cool, an environmental friendly way of transport and communication. But hold your thoughts for now.
There were two types of air powered trains. First was atmospheric air powered trains, which moved overland. The world’s first atmospheric train station opened in Ireland in 1844 which was soon followed by another one in England.
These trains needed air to be pumped for their locomotion. There were pumping station every 3 kilometers and this was a costly affair.
The tubes through which air was pumped were made of leather and were often destroyed by rats. This highly ambitious project was then shut down.
Second one pneumatic air-powered trains, which moved underground. These trains were invented for London Post Office for its need for speed.
The London Pneumatic Dispatch Railway (LPDR) would transport people and parcels from one place to another. This trains could operate for only 9 minutes. The LPDR suffered great losses and then shut down these trains too.
Jugum Device
In Victorian era sex was regarded as an act of immorality, even among couples. Intercourse for reproduction was considered as an unavoidable sin. Swiss doctor Samuel Auguste Tissot had published his theory on the devastating effects of self-stimulation in 1758.
Masturbation was believed to be the cause for a fictitious disease called spermatorrhoea. This was equally sinful. Symptoms of this disease were irritation, anxiousness, tiredness, madness and finally death.
The scientists of the day came up with various device to protect people from this “sinful disease”. One of them was Jugum device. This was a bizarre metal contraption with sharp tooth-like edges.
Men were required to clip the edges of the base of penis to stop the blood flow and erection. It was designed to deter nighttime emissions by causing pain on erection and waken the sleeper.
