The Dangers of the Baby Feeding Bottles in the Victorian Era

Patented around 1879–1880, these glass or earthenware “banjo” shaped bottles allowed babies to self-feed. Many had sweet sounding names such as “My Little Pet” and “Mummies Darling” while others were very nationalistic like “The Empire,” “The National” or “The Victorian.” Some simply advertised the chemist from which they were bought but many cashed in on the popularity of the Princess of Wales in the 1880s. Hence the most common inscriptions bore the words, “The Princess” or “The Alexandria.” However these sweet sounding names often belayed the hidden dangers of these little inconspicuous bottles. The later day nicknames “The Killer” or the “The Murderer” was indeed more apt.

The bottles were appealing to mothers as they allowed for more independence and encouraged children to feed themselves. Unfortunately, the slanted shape made the bottle very hard to clean. The rubber stopper and tubing absorbed bacteria delivering it straight into very vulnerable individuals. To make matters worse, the popular figure Mrs. Isabella Beeton outlined dangerous recommendations for nursing bottles in her publication, The Book of Household Management (1861).

“The prepared teats can be obtained at any chemist’s, and… they will require a little soaking in warm water, and gentle washing, before being tied securely, by means of fine twine... When once properly adjusted, the nipple need never be removed till replaced by a new one, which will hardly be necessary oftener than once a fortnight [14 days], though with care one will last for several weeks.”

The design and materials of the bottles, along with inadequate cleaning and care recommendations, led to the nickname “murder bottle.”

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Gia Scala: The Radiant Star of The Guns of Navarone

Gia Scala was a captivating English-born Italian-American actress who became one of Hollywood’s most promising stars in the mid-1950s.

Known for her sophisticated beauty and soulful, expressive eyes, Scala often portrayed characters with a blend of vulnerability and quiet strength. Her most iconic role came in the 1961 classic The Guns of Navarone, where she played Anna, a mysterious and stoic Greek resistance fighter, a performance that cemented her place in cinematic history.

Despite her immense talent and a “contract star” buildup by studios like Columbia Pictures, Scala’s career and personal life were tragically overshadowed by emotional struggles. Though her time in the spotlight was relatively brief, she remains a beloved figure of the Golden Age of Hollywood, remembered for her haunting screen presence and the classic elegance she brought to every frame.

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Publicity Photos of a Young Maggie Smith for Her First Screen Credit, “Nowhere to Go” (1958)

Seth Holt’s 1958 film noir, Nowhere to Go, holds a special place in cinema history as the feature film debut of Dame Maggie Smith. While the world would later come to know her for her sharp-tongued aristocrats and magical professors, this film captures her as a sophisticated, 23-year-old ingenue.

In this stylish Ealing Studios production, Smith plays Bridget Howard, the disenchanted niece of a wealthy man. Unlike the typical “femme fatale” or “damsel” tropes of the era, her character is notably modern: intelligent, bored with her social standing, and possessing a moral ambiguity that makes her the perfect foil for the film’s protagonist. She becomes the unlikely accomplice to Paul Gregory (George Nader), a Canadian conman on the run after a gold heist goes wrong.

Even in her first outing, the qualities that defined Smith’s legendary career are visible. That unmistakable, precise vocal delivery was already present, providing a sense of gravitas to a character who could have been one-dimensional. Smith manages to command attention even when playing against more established leading men. Stylized in late-50s chic, her performance is a fascinating time capsule of the transition from classical Hollywood acting to the more grounded, British “Kitchen Sink” realism that would soon follow.

Nowhere to Go is often cited as one of the last great films from the original Ealing Studios era. It is darker and more cynical than the studio’s famous comedies (The Ladykillers, Kind Hearts and Coronets), leaning into a bleak, jazz-scored atmosphere that predates the British New Wave.

Maggie Smith received a BAFTA nomination for Most Promising Newcomer for this role, effectively launching one of the most decorated careers in acting history.

The BMW 328 Roadster: A Pre-War Racing Legend

The 1939 BMW 328 Roadster is widely regarded as one of the most significant and successful sports cars of the pre-war era. Combining lightweight construction with aerodynamic elegance, it was a masterpiece of engineering that dominated the racing circuit, most notably securing a legendary victory at the Mille Miglia.

Under its distinctive dual-belted hood sat a 2.0-liter straight-six engine featuring an innovative hemispherical combustion chamber design, which allowed it to reach speeds that were breathtaking for the late 1930s. Beyond its mechanical prowess, the 328 Roadster is a stylistic icon, characterized by its fluid, low-profile body and integrated headlights that bridged the gap between vintage aesthetics and modern automotive design.

The 1939 BMW 328 Roadster remains a crown jewel for collectors, representing the pinnacle of German sporting heritage and a bold leap forward in high-performance luxury.

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22 Studio Portraits of Linda Cristal in the 1950s

Marta Victoria Moya Peggo Burges (February 24, 1931 – June 27, 2020), known professionally as Linda Cristal, was an Argentine–American actress. In the 1950s, she was a rising star of the Mexican film industry who successfully transitioned to Hollywood. Known for her “luminous features” and elegance, she became a prominent figure in the Western genre.

After being discovered by producer Miguel Alemán Velasco, she starred in several Spanish-language films that established her as a major star in Mexico. She made her American film debut as Margarita in the 1956 Western Comanche. In 1958, she won the Golden Globe for New Star of the Year for her role in the comedy The Perfect Furlough, starring alongside Tony Curtis.

Throughout the decade, she solidified her “Latin beauty” image in films like The Last of the Fast Guns (1958) and The Fiend Who Walked the West (1958).  In 1958, she appeared in four episodes of Disney’s Zorro as Margarita Cortazar. 

In the late 1950s, Cristal was a favorite of gossip columnists and fashion photographers. In 1959, she was famously dubbed “The Most Beautiful Girl in the World” by various film associations and magazines, a title that followed her for years. Here are 22 stunning studio portraits of Linda Cristal in the 1950s:

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In the 1950s, Hospital Patients Can Buy Cigarettes Right From Their Beds

In the 1950s, selling cigarettes in hospitals was a routine, accepted practice, with staff often wheeling carts directly to patient bedsides to sell packs or cartons alongside snacks and magazines. Smoking was widely allowed in hospital rooms, waiting areas, and nurses’ stations, as tobacco was not yet widely recognized as a major health risk.

Patients could purchase cigarettes from carts without leaving their beds. Smoking was common in hospitals, with some doctors even permitting or recommending it, mistakenly believing it could soothe patients. Popular unfiltered brands like Camels, Lucky Strike, Chesterfield, and Philip Morris were common.

Nurses and doctors often smoked in nursing stations, during reports, and while on duty. This practice reflects a period when tobacco was integrated into daily life and, in some cases, marketed as a health aid. This era preceded the widespread awareness of the dangers of smoking and the subsequent Surgeon General’s warnings.

Romantic Photos of Paul Newman and Katharine Ross Riding Bike on the Set of “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid”

The bicycle scene in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969) is one of the most famous examples of an actor doing their own stunts, but the behind-the-scenes story is as playful and chaotic as the sequence itself.

Filmed in late 1968, primarily in the ghost town of Grafton, Utah, the scene was a late addition by director George Roy Hill. He felt the film needed a romantic break and a way to emphasize the “bohemian” bond between the trio.

Though a stunt double was hired, the double couldn’t manage the tricks on the rickety, antique bicycle. Newman, an avid athlete, eventually took over. He performed nearly all the stunts, including riding with his feet on the handlebars, except for the final crash through the fence.

Interestingly, the one stunt Newman didn’t do was the backward tumble into the corral. That was performed by the film’s cinematographer, Conrad L. Hall, who stepped in to get the shot. To get the bull (named Bill) to chase Newman for the finale, the crew reportedly had to apply a mild irritant to the animal to make it move, as it was naturally quite placid.

The chemistry you see on screen between Paul Newman and Katharine Ross was mirrored by a bit of set drama. Ross, who was dating cinematographer Conrad Hall at the time, was an aspiring photographer. Hall allowed her to operate a camera for a small “extra” shot, which infuriated director George Roy Hill. He famously banned her from the set unless she was actively filming a scene.

The use of the pop song “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head” was highly controversial at the time. Studio executives hated it, thinking a contemporary song had no place in a Western, but it went on to win an Oscar.

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