As I continue down the rabbit hole of reading old newspapers, I am finding that occasionally the writing is a bit graphic or disturbing. I have only made it through the first half of 1897, but it's a doozy. I shall add that these are the most striking pieces that I have read so far. And I have seen, throughout my research, well over 70 different entries of someone burning their eye with a curling iron. Without further ado, the two most interesting entries.
"As Mrs. Theophile Lapoint of Burlington was curling her hair recently, the curling iron slipped and struck one of her eyes, burning it out. The wound was very painful and the iron was so hot that the eyeball ran out as if it was so much water."
-The Bethel Courier; Bethel, Vermont; 25 Feb 1897, Thu • Page 3
I am taking a moment to add that I am only offering a portion of the following story, it is quite long. If you are interested in reading it in its entirety, you can go to Newspapers.com and look up the paper. Or you can message me to get a copy of the story. And on with the show.
"...She was curling her hair for church when she accidentally dropped the hot curling iron down her neck... and it went sizzling, frying down, down until it was beyond her reach... In the meantime the house was filled with the odor of backbone and fried tenderloin... the curling iron was still getting in its work and rapidly burning its way into her left kidney... the curling iron then turned over and baked the skin from the vertebra and commenced to cook her floating ribs... she managed to tell what was the matter and her mother cut open her corset... the curling iron fell out, covered with cuticle and smelling like hog-killing time and fried cracklins..."
-Elmore Bulletin; Rocky Bar, Idaho; 03 Mar 1897, Wed • Page 2
As you may be able to see, it was dangerous times in 1897. I think these were the two most shocking things I have read so far. I may have to write a whole book on the dangers of curling irons in the past. So many burnt eyeballs and house fires.
