Old-fashioned hygiene habits that are anything but clean

Shoe Polish Was Effective – and Deadly

In the Victorian era, shoe shiners earned their living by polishing shoes to a high shine. However, the most popular shoe polish contained nitrobenzene – a toxic chemical that made leather shine but slowly poisoned the workers.

Those who came into regular contact with it suffered from dizziness, fainting spells, or even fatal poisoning. Many were unaware of the danger – sacrificing their health just to make boots gleam.