portrait-photo

The Wunderkammer of the Mild Colonial Boy, Esq., a Reactionary Tory Gentleman, who armed only with a Steampowered Babbage Engine and Pure Intentions, wanders the Time Streams and Aetheric Plane gathering an Eccentric Hodgepodge of Curiousities, Frivolities, Whimsicalities and Nonsense.

Q. Why is your Tumblelog called "My Ear-Trumpet Has Been Struck by Lightning"?

A. Because "My Grandmother's Ear-Trumpet Has Been Struck by Lightning" wouldn't fit in the available space.

oldtimeyads: Reader Fred T. sent in this picture! RADIUM: For your health! More on radium. The ultimate solution to pest control.

oldtimeyads:

Reader Fred T. sent in this picture!

RADIUM: For your health!

More on radium.

The ultimate solution to pest control.

Advertisement for radium salts, found in the December, 1903 issue of Le Radium. (from http://longstreet.typepad.com/thesciencebookstore/2012/02/the-gift-that-keeps-on-giving-radium-in-powder-or-suppository.html)

Advertisement for radium salts, found in the December, 1903 issue of Le Radium.

(from http://longstreet.typepad.com/thesciencebookstore/2012/02/the-gift-that-keeps-on-giving-radium-in-powder-or-suppository.html)

deadhorsebrooklyn:

“In the early 1900s,  radium was more valuable than gold and platinum. As such, the term “Radium” was incorporated into the brand names of any number of products even when these products didn’t actually contain radium. The same was true for the term “X-Ray.””

-  Health Physics Instrumentation Collection

via Retronaut

Amazing.

What do you mean my “radium brand creamery butter” doesn’t have any radium in it? I demand radium in my dairy products!

cabbagingcove: Radium as a Test for Real Diamonds “At the approach of Radium pure gems are thrown into great brilliancy, while imitations remain dull.” I can imagine a jeweler would be thrilled to have you bring in a chunk of radium whilst shopping for an engagement ring. The Boy’s Second Book of Inventions. Roy Stannard Baker, 1909. One of the one hundred and one things that Edwardians thought Radium was good for including health drinks like Radithor.

cabbagingcove:

Radium as a Test for Real Diamonds

“At the approach of Radium pure gems are thrown into great brilliancy, while imitations remain dull.”

I can imagine a jeweler would be thrilled to have you bring in a chunk of radium whilst shopping for an engagement ring.

The Boy’s Second Book of Inventions. Roy Stannard Baker, 1909.

One of the one hundred and one things that Edwardians thought Radium was good for including health drinks like Radithor.