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YouTube

Myth Busted: Historical Hygiene Practices - Washing and Cleanliness in the Past

Bernadette Banner via YouTube

Overview

Explore a myth-busting video featuring historian Hilary Davidson that challenges the common misconception that people in the past were dirty and never washed. Delve into historical bathing processes, the use of linen for cleaning, and the differences between modern and historical hygiene norms. Examine the impact of miasma theory on cleanliness practices, investigate the causes of body odor, and consider how engineering has influenced our perception of historical hygiene. Gain insights into human smell and the failure of modern imagination when interpreting historical cleanliness. Conclude with a summary of key points and a humorous pig-related addendum.

Syllabus

- Intro
- Ad
- The Bathing Process
- Washing, Not Bathing
- Cleaning With Linen
- Modern Normal vs Historical Normal
- Miasma Theory
- What Causes Body Odor?
- Engineering Backwards
- A 21st C Failure of Imagination
- Human Smell
- TLDR
- fine, here be pig

Taught by

Bernadette Banner

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