The "good old days" weren't really so good - in fact, they were absolutely miserable, according to historians. "The men and women of 100 years ago should be pitied, not envied," declared Dr. Otto L. Bettmann, author of THE GOOD OLD DAYS - THEY WERE TERRIBLE!
The problems of a century ago included INTENSE POLLUTION, nightmarish traffic congestion, nutritionally poor diet, rampant disease and other woes, said Dr. Bettmann.
"With today's city streets clogged with automobiles, the vision of a horse and buggy produces strong nostalgia. But it shouldn't."
"Runaway horses were common. The havoc killed thousands of people. According to the National Safety Council, the horse-associated fatality rate was 10 times today's car-associated rate. Three million horses were kept in American cities at the beginning of the 20th century, and each horse produced about 25 pounds of MANURE EACH DAY.
Swarms of flies abounded, and stables on every block filled with URINE-SATURATED HAY added to the stench.
Food was terrible, too, Dr. Bettmann added. "Food was tampered with. For example, to improve the color of milk from diseased cattle, they frequently ADDED PLASTER OF PARIS.
"Bakers preserved their dough with doses of alum and sulphur of copper. Customers were continually enraged to discover CHUNKS OF FOREIGN MATTER in their loaves, such as oven ash and grit."
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Dwellings were substandard and domestic chores difficult, he added.
"Almost no homes had running water, so people SELDON BATHED. Cooking was a monumental task. And laundry was physically punishing labor because no washing machines or 'miracle' detergents existed."
"Apartment houses were often dismal - with vile privies, dirt-filled sinks, slop oozing down stairwells and plumbing pipes pockmarked with holes that emitted foul, flammable sewer gases. The threat of diphtheria, smallpox, typhoid and yellow fever was widespread."
Concluded Dr. Bettmann; "Compared to the people of 100 years ago, we're very, very lucky!"
