3. Pollution: Breathing Polluted Air with the Rats, The Cost of Progress, Handling the Daily Pollution, The Plague

15. Three protective masks: c. 1870. Masks
containing cotton or wool “filters” impregnated
with vinegar or other “medicaments” were
worn in the open in order to achieve some
protection. They were not very effective, and
respiratory diseases were very common.
Some of these masks were luxurious and quite
expensive (1 shilling) – see the red velvet
mask #3.
16. Two small menthol holders: c. 1880, used
to counter the stink together with perfumed
handkerchiefs.
17. Four menthol holders: the modern version.
18. Rat and mice traps: 17th century. Rats and
mice infested human habitats and transferred
the highly contagious plague. Overcrowded and
polluted cities were fertile soil for the Black
Plague that decimated the population time and
again. The arrival of Europeans to the Americas
brought the plague as well as influenza and
tuberculosis; together these devastating diseases
destroyed the Native American civilizations
who lacked immunity to them. [Donated by
Dr. Ehud Heffer, 1945–2022]

19. Four different inhalers: late 19th – early 20th
century, offering means of insufflating
medicinal and natural preparations.
20. Inhaler: early 19th century, Africa. Notice
the similarity to more recent inhalers.
21. Two rare “Dr. Nelson’s” and “Boot’s” improved
inhalers, late 19th – early 20th century. British
people used to inhale menthol or friars’ balsam.
Below, a wartime Benson and Hedges cigarette
tin distributed by “NAAFI Stores for H.M.
Forces” to the soldiers.