Category: World Historical News
Teen Dies After Explosion Erupts in His Mouth During Routine Surgery
A routine operation for a broken jaw turned horrifying in a London hospital in 1925. Sixteen-year-old Laurence Sims was under anesthesia while surgeons worked to…
Doctors Believed Cancer Could Linger in Houses and Infect New Residents
At the beginning of the 20th century, doctors were still trying to understand what caused cancer, and some of the theories now sound deeply unsettling….
Shipwreck Left Survivors Fighting Sharks in the Dark
The La Seye sank so quickly that many aboard never had a chance to escape. In the darkness and heavy mist before dawn, the mail…
Young Paris Women Flocked to Casinos as Officials Raised the Alarm
By midnight, the restaurants of Paris were beginning to empty, but for many young women, the night was only getting started. According to a 1929…
Woman’s Coin Toss to Organ Grinder Hid a Stolen Pin
The organ grinder outside the jeweler’s shop seemed like nothing more than an annoyance. A well-dressed woman had entered a Paris jewelry store and asked…
Chorus Girls Told to Wear Tights Despite Heat Wave
Even a heat wave could not loosen Birmingham’s rules about bare knees on the stage. In the summer of 1926, chorus girls appearing in the…
Sweden Ordered Citizens to Learn Swimming to Reduce Drowning Deaths
In 1926, Sweden reportedly launched an ambitious campaign to turn the entire country into a nation of swimmers, or, as one American newspaper dramatically put…
Ship Passenger Accused of Drinking Compass Alcohol in Nova Scotia
A passenger aboard a steamer from Boston apparently became so desperate for a drink that he turned to one of the ship’s navigational instruments. After…
Delaware Pastor Claimed Election Bribes Reached the Church
In 1905 Delaware, a Methodist pastor startled a church convention with accusations that political bribery had reached even into the pews. The Reverend William Cashmore,…
Before Weather Apps, Some Families Watched a Frog Climb a Ladder
Long before modern forecasts were available at the touch of a button, some households in Germany and Switzerland looked to a small green tree frog…
