Isaac Newton Stuck a Needle in His Own Eye Isaac Newton voluntarily stuck a needle in his eye in the name of science. The experiment was designed to test optics and color perception. He thought that if he slid a long needle behind his eyeball, between the eye and the eye socket, and started poking, his vision would …
Continue reading “Doctor Heal Thyself — 18th Century Medicine Gone Wrong”
Long before email, text, and instant message, important words were passed discreetly from closed palm to palm. To keep the messages private, these hand-written notes were often elaborately folded, sealed with wax, and rigged with anti-tamper devices. The technique of “locking” letters involves folding the parchment, papyrus, or paper securely so that the letter functions …
Continue reading “Colonial Spymaster (#11) — Letter-locking”
As science shifted from the “exact sciences” pushed forward by the church and based not on observation but on theological premise toward “empirical sciences” focused on observation, experimentation, and challenge, new problems arose. Throughout antiquity, doctors need not sully themselves with knowing the form and structure of the body, they delt in elegant theories like …
The infamous Salem witch trials began during the spring of 1692, after a group of young girls in Salem Village, Massachusetts, claimed to be possessed by the devil and accused several local women of witchcraft. As a wave of hysteria spread throughout colonial Massachusetts, a special court convened in Salem to hear the cases; the …
Hang around any group of reenactors and you will always see them with a haversack. Even though most of us throw our car keys and wallet in there, it’s not a purse. It’s an essential piece of military kit that dates back to the Middle Ages. The haversack gets its name from the Dutch word …
One form of secret writing used by both the British and American armies was invisible ink. The secret writing was placed between the lines of an innocent letter and could be discerned by treating the letter with heat or a chemical substance. The recipient placed the paper over the flame of a candle or treated …
Continue reading “Colonial Spymaster (#10) — Invisible Inks”
“David Rittenhouse” will be at INHP on Saturday discussing the need to teach ALL HISTORY not just the stuff that makes us look good today, why allowing politicians to censor public history and speech, and the vital role non-WASP Americans made to creating our nation. THIS IS IMPORTANT. COME TO INDEPENDENCE NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK on …
Want to have the Regimental Brewmeister at your site or event? You can hire me. https://colonialbrewer.com/yes-you-can-hire-me-for-your-event-or-site/
In the 18th century, families relied on almanacs to help them make many weather and seasonal decisions, such as when they should plant their crops or travel. However, almanacs only gave a long-term idea of what the weather might be based on weather in the past. Furthermore, in an age where all travel, especially by …
Shlomo Latis wrote “The Collection of Hoshaanot, Songs and Prayers, Annulments of Vows, Tashlichs and Other Things” in Italy around 1790. The name describes the book well; a collection of various prayers and descriptions of Jewish ceremonies that were compiled into one manuscript. A careful look at the one existent copy, however, reveals to interesting …
Michael Carver -- Historical Interpreter/Reenactor 