Advertisement for Kellogg’s July 1910, Life Magazine
By now most of us know the original intention of one of America’s favourite breakfast cereals, Kelloggs Cornflakes. The cereal was created by accident but was geared towards vegetarians and those seeking a way to curb their sexual appetite. It was recommended by the church that eating bland foods was a way to stop mastrubation.
Will Kellogg’s signature on early Kellogg’s boxes
As if that was not interesting enough Will Kellogg would originally sign Toasted Corn Flakes from each box because he felt it set his company apart and was more personal. After a few tweaks Will Kellogg’s trademark signature became the face of the Kellogg’s company. Over the years there has been slight changes to the typeface, mostly in colour and line thickness making it a common household name we all know and love.
Optometry and eyewear have been around since the roman times, is anybody else not surprised by this, the Romans were always ahead of their times. But it wasn’t until the 12th century that the Italians had started to create what looks like a modern pair of eyeglasses that we are familiar with today. Aside from euorpean optometry, both Asia and those in alaska and on the poles had their own versions of eyewear that weren’t used to correct vision, but to protect from the sun and harsh winter weather.
Anavik, age about 30 years, a Kilusiktogmiut man, close up of head, wearing bone sun goggles, Banks Peninsula, Bathurst Inlet, Nunavut.
Most of us believe the invention of contact lenses is a recent idea, but to my surprise and research it wasn’t. A man by the name Adolf Eugen Fick was a german physiologist and doctor who first started experimenting with the idea of a contact lens in 1886. He started by creating the lenses to fit the eyes of animals and rabbits before he started to experiment on himself.
Pastell von Anton Klamroth (* 29. April 1860 in Moskau; 11. Februar 1929 in Leipzig). K. war ein deutscher Porträtmaler, spezialisiert auf Pastell- und Aquarellmalerei.
For those who wear modern contact lenses and even those who don’t, the idea of having a thin layer of glass over your eye is a terrible thought that’s hard to shake. But thats exactly what Fick did. He created molds of his and many others eye forms before making a thin glass lens that fit the form of the eye. Unlike todays contact lenses the older lens would cover the whole of the eye rather than solely the pupil making it understandably uncomfortable. Most people could only wear the lenses for a few hours to avoid too much irritation. Unfortunatley Fick is not commonly credidted with this modern invention as the idea didn’t popularize until almost 30 years after his death and even then another German scientist got most of the main acknowledgement.
French Empire gilt scissors glasses (with one lens missing), c. 1805
* I would like to note that some of the images used on this blogpost were from sites that did not cite where their sources were from so I was unable to properly cite some images or the website was in full German and couldn’t tell where the citation was or if it was correct *
The Western Suburbs of Victoria, Vancouver Island, Canada, c1888. Illustration from The Life and Times of Queen Victoria Vol II, by Robert Wilson, (c1888). (The Print Collector/Getty Images)
Smallpox is an infectious disease carried by the bacteria from the nose and throat and can be spread by bodily fluids, particles from the nasal area or in this case on infected particles in blankets and clothing. Patients can easily infect others at a rapid rate and can suffer from blindness, joint and bone infections, and other fatal symptoms all usually resulting in death. With no immunity to western diseases First Nations of Canada’s West Coast were wiped out in the masses with the white man’s discovery of Canada.
In the 1850s the colonial regime in British Columbia started carving out reserves and reducing the mobility of Aboriginal people like the St’at’imc of the Lillooet area
In 1862, Brother Jonathan, a steam boat from san francisco arrived with the port of Vancouver island. On board was over 300 colonizers with a goal to pan for gold and join the fur trade in hopes to get big in the new colony of Victoria. As well as its passengers Brother Jonathan also brought over food , supplies, goods to trade and western diseases like smallpox. In this case the spread of disease was unintentional and according to the Colonist, if the correct measures were taken “we fear that a serious evil will be entailed on the country.” After the lack of quarantine for the diseased subject there was soon a smallpox epidemic. Native camps were burned to the ground, canoes were destroyed while smallpox infected natives fled the land in hope for safety. Over 30,000 Canadian Native Americans died that year in cause of smallpox and the panicked settlers of victoria.
Preparing for a harsh cold day in poorly heated homes, getting ready as a woman in the 1600’s was a task in itself. Hair was slicked back into a small bun to prepare for dressing and was often altered or decorated with jewels, pearls or ribbons to fit the occasion of the day. It started with what seemed to be similar to a nightgown with varied styles of sleeves to match the following garments and was typically made of linens or silks.
Usually this was the only undergarment worn. Hip pads were fitted above the waist to help carry the support of the numerous petticoats and were tied on to fit the subject. Each layer of petticoat was lined to trap heat and cope with harsh winters and cool homes. Usually three to four petticoats were tied and fitted before the final layers.Petticoats helved with the volume of the dress, warmth and to help accentuate the hips and posterior.
(c) York Museums Trust; Supplied by The Public Catalogue Foundation
The final outcome may have been made of eight or nine part to complete the outfit, which would include but not limited to the petticoats, bodice, stockings and sleeves. Stockings were either a neutral colour but mostly came in bright colours like red. Shoes were put on mid-dressing for ease and were made of leather and wood and were quite uncomfortable as both shoes were the same rather then having a left and right foot. The bodice was then fitted and tied with a single string before delicate and simple jewelry like pearls were worn.
The process of making books was a long and tedious process, only attempted and allowed to be made by monks. Usually done by candlelight in monasteries and abbeys, trained monks inscribed religious texts onto parchment later to bound into books or codices.
manuscript in the Biblioteca de San Lorenzo de El Escorial, Madrid, Spain, c. 14th century AD, which depicts monks doing scribal work
Monks and those of higher social class were the few groups who had the education to read or write making monks some of the most educated people of their time. Each word is written in ink on each page by hand before being carefully decorated with images, symbols and foliage then carefully gilded with precious metals such as gold or silver.
Missal of Bishop Antonio Scarampi’, 1567
The script was usually done with a feathered quill or reed pen and was usually done in the popular blackletter of the time, which was bold and clear to see. The finished products sold for large sums of money as some took multiple monks, and months or years to make.
To many, the Nile River is nothing more than an icon of egypt alongside the pyramids, but to ancient Egypt it was a vital lifesource and ruler. After the last ice age Africa had a much wetter climate then we know today. Over time it began to dry out, previously thriving lands were now uninhabitable pushing civilization closer together in search of water. Where they had settled was what we now what we call Egypt. Egypt being surrounded by the nile river had life that wasn’t just living, but flourishing.
Ancient irrigation system
Although the river seemed like a blessing it easily proved itself difficult to farmers often leaving communities famished. Later early Egyptians created an irrigation system which proved useful for more predictable farming and crops for the future.
Horus, God of the sky
Pharaohs were believed to be appointed by Horus, the god of the sky. Pharaohs were in charge of the distribution of crops, were the “…political and religious {leaders}” and the defenders of their city in battle (4). The Nile River played a huge role in the lives of the people of the time and was a ruling factor in the decisions made by the Pharaohs as the Nile controlled the success of crops and wildlife. Without the Nile River Egyptian civilization would be barren from the fruits of history leaving the rich egyption history behind.
