How Did These Inventions Turn Ordinary Homes Into Death Traps? | Hidden Killers | Progress
2.1M views · Jun 25, 2023 · People & Blogs
Comments · 511
@mustwereallydothis · 3 years ago
We can all sit in our modern homes, with all our modern conveniences and feel comfortably smug, shaking our heads in disgust about all "... the terrible injuries that were inflicted in the name of progress." in Victorian times, but I guarantee that future generations will watch the same sort of documentaries about the countless wildly dangerous and irresponsible things that we consider perfectly acceptable today. I have no doubt that the insane numbers of deaths and horrific injuries resulting from our transportation systems alone will, 100+ years in the future, provide more than enough shock value for a documentary similar to this one.
604
@wanderingmink · 2 years ago (edited)
Learning the origins of words like "mangle" and phrases like "off the cuff" were not what I expected from this video, but are a welcome surprise.
46
@Paul_Harling_Vancouver · 1 year ago
A hundred and fifty years from now, documentaries will be made about our food choices. We are still doing it.
37
@briellewools · 2 years ago
Whenever you feel down about yourself, just remember, you’re descended from people who survived all of this, and they were descendants of people who survived even worse than what we’re hearing about in this video. Absolutely insane and mind boggling when you think about it. I also wonder how many modern day genetic diseases or defects are from our ancestors managing to survive all of this but still having their DNA altered by one thing or the other… really interesting to think about!
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@alanfenick1103 · 3 years ago (edited)
When I was 10 yo my mother gave me a “Gilbert Erector Set.” The set came in a large red steel case to carry and store the contents. The set weighed about 10+ pounds and contained steel girders, small screws, nuts, bolts, many different sized gears and chains and a electric motor which ran on 110-120 volts AC. The girders were plated and had sharp edges. The assembly tools had extra parts along with an assembly guide to make many mechanical projects. You could buy upgrades and replacement parts for bigger and better projects. It was the Lego’s of the early 1950’s. I must of spent hundreds of hours making the projects and inventing new ones. The most dangerous part was the electric motor which had no strain relief to prevent the cord from separating from the motor. The many small parts were a hazard to toddlers and small children. Dangerous or not it was an incredible toy to experiment with. eBay had one for sale brand new still in the wrapper for $800.00. It sold in hour of being posted. Your presentation is extremely well done, informative amd educational. One question, when was the series first produced?
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@Paul-ou1rx · 1 year ago
All I can ever think about this period of time is how awful going to the dentist must have been.
9
@kathleenmartin7498 · 2 years ago
Formaldehyde in carpets, poisonous glues, and hazardous treatments to wood are just some of the toxic things in out homes today
6
@mustwereallydothis · 3 years ago
I can attest to the danger of non-uniform stairs. Our house was built in the 70s and one staircase has three steps that are slightly different heights than the others. You wouldn't know it from looking at them but so many people were falling or almost falling that I eventually decided to measure them. It's shocking what a huge difference a couple of centimeters can make.
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@RotoMarzenia · 2 years ago
I do Asbestos Inspections and one of the things about the Edwardian Home portion when they talk about how they didn't know what was causing the issues b/c they didn't realize it was asbestos isn't quite true. Many were fully aware that it was the Asbestos causing the issues. Asbestosis was first identified in 1906, even if it wasn't actually identified post mortem until the 20s. Factory owners in the period had a vested interest in downplaying the risks of Asbestos. Something that continues to this day.
12
@hutchchristych · 2 years ago (edited)
I lived in a 1920’s farm house and the stairs to the attic was narrow and the steps were short and had a lip on the stairs 14 steps. I slipped down those stairs probably 20 times in the 10 years I lived there. The basement stairs were wide and a full step and never fell. Asbestos was found throughout the 1920’s house I lived in Portland, Oregon. The design of the house if a fire started in the basement would go up through the walls and work its way to the attic. The floor linoleum would release gases.
6
@cschuh4695 · 3 years ago
RARELY do I ever watch a 4-hour long video... But this was SO captivating, and held my interest thru 4-5 sittings... I'd pause it, do something else, then watch more X 5... GREAT video...
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@billymanilli · 3 years ago
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cv_q4tk4MkQ&t=9135">2:32:15</a> "Death from crushed testicles after playing games at Christmas" ... man that suxx!
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