Wigs And Syphilis
This STD might seem like a joke to our modern-day ears but England suffered a massive syphilis outbreak in 1580. Things got so out of hands that the spread rivalled only that of the Black Death. Syphilis is easily treatable with antibiotics nowadays, but back then it was a very severe illness causing open sores, blindness, dementia, and hair loss.
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The last symptom was easily spotted and even helps historians diagnose famous figures. Louis XIV became bald at just 17 and hired 48 wig makers to make him a stylish toupee. Five years later, his cousin King Charles II followed suit. Turning wigs into an aristocratic must-have and also an easy way to hide the unsightly effect of syphilis.
Birth control
This is a rather controversial topic, even in the 21st century and you can imagine that it was even worst before. Women weren’t given access to birth control for centuries and when they did – the methods were questionable at best.
One of the most common and preferred methods for birth control was Lysol applied to a woman’s private areas. Despite its popularity, of course, this method did not work in any way shape or form except cause inflammation and burning. There were even several reports of death from this form of “birth control”.