Originally printed on cigarette stiffening cards used to strengthen cigarette packaging during the late 1880’s, it wasn’t long before these cards were use for advertisements, artwork, trivia, and even how to’s. By the 1910s, Gallaher Ltd of Belfast & London and Ogden’s Branch of the Imperial Tobacco Co printed “How-To” series, with clever hints for both everyday and emergency situations, or what we think of today as life hacks. Mental Floss has gathered ten of them to share with you in their article on the topic.
Navigation is easy, just scroll down the page and take a blast into the past. But first a warning: use common sense when reading these and before you decide to try any of them, because they way we view safety has changed a lot in the past 100 years. So, safety first!
You’ll find the following ten life hacks with an image of the card: how to make a fire extinguisher, how to extract a splinter, how to preserve eggs, how to fell a tree, how to stop a mad dog, how to keep plants watered while away on holiday, how to light a match in the wind, how to make a chair to cross a stream, how to rescue someone from electric shock, and how to make a water filter.
Of all ten, the ones I find the most relevant today are lighting a match in the wind and creating a water filter. Both sound like great camping/wilderness/post-apocalyptic skills to have.
Well, what are you waiting for go check out these antique life hacks!
http://www.mentalfloss.com/article/51702/10-lifehacks-100-years-ago
~Amanda