A time marked by gothic architecture, wide skirts, and the utmost in elegance, the Victorian era was a time that most romanticized and associate with some of the world's best literature and most legendary lifestyles. While Victorian influences made their way around the world, there were also many dangers associated with this period and time that many didn't immediately realize. Innovation and invention were two things that were in abundance between the early 1800s and the year 1900, but this also led to some unexpected consequences as well as unsavory situations for many uninformed people.

From ill-fated ship passage to other countries to the use of harmful chemicals that had the intention of bettering lives, the Victorian era was just as morbid as it was elaborate. A truly contradictory period full of experimental nature and a desire to advance human life, these were the most fatal flaws that affected people living during that time, from travel to home life.

Ship Travel Was Widely Available But Far From Safe

There were many positives that came from the Victorian era and the reign of Queen Victoria, but ship travel was not one of them. While fertility rates were up, there was a time of peace, and medicine was seeing incredible advances, travel was not something that was up to par with the homefront. As entertainment such as circuses and festivals were on the move, people would turn to ships to get them from country to country. Safe passage was something that was not guaranteed, as many didn't immediately realize how cramped, primal, and rough traveling by ship would be.

Many from Europe were also emigrating to the US, Canada, and Australia, and faced issues on the ship that consisted of anything from overcrowding to boracic acid to fires. One incident details a woman's crinoline skirt catching on fire from dragging on the ground, and in turn, two ship rooms also caught on fire. This was not an uncommon occurrence, and it was also only one danger of ship travel. Furthermore, emigrant passages from that time detailed how foul-smelling and unclean much of the ship's rooms were, as many were cramped in lower compartments for the duration. Starvation became an issue for those who did not bring enough food preparations, as there were none on the ship, and passengers were forced to cook their own meals and provide for their own.

In an effort to preserve food for long trips, boracic acid was added to milk, which did allow dairy to retain its life but also proved to be toxic to humans. While the danger was not immediately discovered, it was finally ruled that boracic acid was not a safe component for preservation and its use was stopped after long-term use proved to be harmful.

'Canine Madness' AKA Hydrophobia, Or As It's Commonly Known, Rabies

That's right - rabies was of relatively high concern in the 1800s, according to Geri Walton. One of the most well-known instances of rabies took place in Manchester in 1881 when a rabid dog ran into a shop, biting a girl twice before being chased down. Patients would seem fine until they, too, became infected with hydrophobia, to which there was no cure. A vaccine was believed to be invented in 1885 until it was revealed to be ineffective and still to this day, there is no vaccine or cure for the animal-transmitted disease.

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The Famous London Smog

While fog and smoke are often associated with London, during the 1800s, it was from a rather unpleasant source. Between the steamboats that were fully operational in the harbor and the fact that coal was the main source of energy, soot and smoke was constantly escaping from houses and businesses. Aside from visibility and lung health being an issue, the scent and smells of London during the 1800s was far from glamorous. With businesses booming - from glue workshops to farms and slaughterhouses, leading to manure and other unsavory, putrid scents - there was a consistent string of scents being pumped into the city air. There weren't many places city residents could go to escape offensive smells such as these, thus limiting air purity greatly.

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Many of the health risks associated with these smells were not immediately realized as people inhaled them on the daily. A brisk walk into town would be consumed by any number of smells being pumped out of the nearest building, creating a less than pleasant experience compared to cities nowadays. Those who find cities far from enchanting would have seen Victorian-era London as something of a nightmare.

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