Extraordinary Origins of Everyday Things (88 page)

“There Was a Little Girl,” 187

“This Is the House That Jack Built,” 189

“Three Blind Mice,” 194

Nut (Egyptian goddess), 16

Nylon, 129

Nylon-bristle toothbrush, 209–10

Nylon stockings, 346–47

Oak tree, superstition about, 6–7

Obici, Amedeo, 393

Odo-Ro-No, 256

Offenbach, Jacques, 288–89

Oil lamps, 133–34

“Old Dame Trot, and Her Comical Cat” (nursery rhyme), 195

“Old Mother Hubbard” (nursery rhyme), 194–95

Olmstead, Frederick Law, 282

Olsen, Andrew, 207

Opie, Iona and Peter, 182

Oral contraceptive (the pill), 336–38

Oreo cookies, 413

Orpiment, 224

Oster company blenders, 112–13

Oxford shoe, 296

Paint, ready-mixed, 150–51

Painter, William, 216

Pajamas, 339

Panama hat, 309–10

Pancakes, 406–8

Panitt, Merrill, 363, 364

Pantaleone, St., 299–300

Pantaloons, 300

Pants, 299–303

with pockets, 300–1

suspenders, 301

Paper, toilet, 204–6

Paper bags, brown, 107–8

Paper cups, disposable, 122–24

Paper towels, 206

Papin, Denis, 121–22

Parasols, 319

Parcheesi, 377–78

Park, Roy, 410

Parker Brothers, 378–79

Parkes, Alexander, 126–27

Parkesine, 127

Parry, Sir William, 115

“Parson,” 41

Pasta, 405–6

“Pastor,” 41

Patrick, Saint, 53

Peach Melba, 401

Peanuts, 392–93

Pennsylvania Germans (Dutch), 70

Percolator, coffee, 120

Perc-O-Toaster, 120

Perfume, 238–42

Perrault, Charles, 169–76, 178–79, 183, 198

Perret, Jean Jacques, 215

Perrins, William, 403

Perrot, Bernard, 230

Persians

birthday cake, 32

walnuts, 393–94

Peruzzi, Mario, 393

Peter the Great, Tsar of Russia, 1

Petronius, 15

“Pew,” 41

Phillips, Charles, 257

Phillips’ Milk of Magnesia, 257

Photographic film, celluloid, 127

Pies, 410–11

“eat humble pie,” 94

pumpkin, 65

Piggy bank, 382–83

Pilgrims

Thanksgiving and, 64–66

wishbone superstition, 6

Pill, the (oral contraceptive), 336–38

Pincus, Gregory, 337, 338

Pins, 313

Pistachio, 395

Planters Peanuts, 393

Plastic, 126–29

Plates, 82

Platters, 82

Pledge of allegiance, 280–81

Plexiglass, 129

Pliny the Elder, 232

Plunkett, Roy, 106–7

Pockets, 300–301

Poinsettia, 69

Polo collar, 304

Polyester, 129

Polykoff, Shirley, 233

“Pontiff,” 42

Popcorn, 390–92

Poplawski, Stephen J., 111–12

Popozo, Sandro di, 265

Pop-up tissue box, 207

Porcelain-enamel cookware, 100–1

Porter, Rufus, 358

Post, Emily, 87–88

Potato chips, 388–89

Pots and pans

aluminum, 101

porcelain, 100–01

Prang, Louis, 72

Prayer, hands joined in, 38–39

Pressure cooker, 121–22

Presto company, 145

Pretzel, 389–90

Priestley, Joseph, 320

“Princess on the Pea, The” (fairy tale), 176–77

Procter, Harley, 218–19

Proctor-Silex, 145

“Prostitute,” 347–48

Public Cup Vendor Company, 123

Pulitzer, Joseph, 292

Pump (shoe), 297–98

Pumpernickel, 400–1

Pumpkin pie, 65

Puritans, 70–71

Purse, 311

Pusey, Joshua, 110

“Puss in Boots” (fairy tale), 173–75

Pyrex, 124–25

Chemex coffeemaker, 121

Rabbit, Easter, 55–56

Rabbit’s foot, 3

Racine Universal Motor Company, 236, 237

Radar Range, 126

Rainwear, 320

Rais, Gilles de, 179

Ramsay, William, 136

Ranges, kitchen, 98–99

“Rashin Coatie” (fairy tale), 172

Rattles, 373–74

Ravenscroft, Thomas, 194

Ray-Ban aviator sunglasses, 267

Razor, 214–15

safety, 215–16

Reader’s Digest
, 362–63

Reagan, Ronald, 164

Réard, Louis, 322

Redding, Josephine, 356

Redenbacher, Orville, 391–92

Regina Vacuum Cleaner Company, 139

Remington shavers, 217

“Reverend,” 41

Reynolds, Richard S., 113

Rhazes, 210–11

Richardson, Earl, 145

Richardson, Lunsford, 253

Richelieu, 404

Richelieu, Duc de, 80

“Ride a Cock-Horse” (nursery rhyme), 184–85

Ring-a-Ring o’ Roses, (nursery rhyme), 196

Ring finger, 24–25

engagement, diamond, 22–24

friendship, 22

wedding, 22, 24–25

Rist, Johann, 349

Rivalto, Giordano di, 265

Robinson, Doane, 283

Roller skates, 382

Romans, 9, 10

bedrooms and beds, 327–28

birthdays, 32

bread, 400

broken mirror superstition, 11

candles, 134

central heating, 131–32

Christmas, 68

coin-flipping practice, 15

cookies, 411

cosmetics, 222, 227–28

dolls, 385

drinking toasts, 91–92

evil eye superstition, 17

funerals, 35–37

glass windown, 156

hair styling, 231–32

horseshoe superstition, 5

hosiery, 343–44

ketchup, 401

Lex Ciconaria
(Stork’s Law), 19

marriage and wedding customs, 29–31

marriage rings, 22, 25

New Year’s Day, 46–47

perfume, 240

pies, 410

St. Valentine’s Day, 50–51

salt and, 15

spas, 200–01

stockings, 344–47

table manners and customs, 78

toothpaste, 210

wedding cakes, 26

wigs, 234

wishbone superstition, 6

Roosevelt, Franklin D., 67, 121

Roosevelt, Theodore, 284, 285, 374

Rosary, 39–40

Rosenthal, Ida, 343

Ross, Betsy, 279–80

Rouge, 224–25

Rubber, vulcanization of, 165

Rubber hose, 164–66

“Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer”

(poem, then song), 75 Rueckheim, F. W., 395

Rushmore, Charles E., 283

Rushmore, Mount, 282–84

Russell, S. I., 331

Rutt, Chris, 407–8

Safety glass, 157–58

Safety pin, 313–14

St. Patrick’s Day, 53–55

St. Valentine’s Day, 50–52

Salibury steak, 399

Salt, spilling, 15–16

Sandals, 294

Sandwiches, 400

Sandys, Sir Marcus, 403

Sanger, Margaret, 331, 338

Santa Anna, Gen., 416

Santa Claus, 72–75

Sardou, Victorien, 309

Saucer, 82

Saugus Pot, 100

Sauria, Charles, 109

Sausage, 396

Scandinavia

honeymoon, 28

number thirteen superstition, 12

stork myth, 19

Scarlett, Edward, 266

Schwarz, Berthold, 383

Schiaparelli, Elsa, 317

Schick, Jacob, 216–17

Schlicht, Paul J., 354

Schlumbohm, Peter, 121

Scholl, William, 262–63

Schrotter, Anton von, 110

Schueller, Eugène, 233

Scientific American
(magazine), 358–59

Scotland, bathroom, 199

Scott, Clarence, 205–6

Scott, Edward, 205–6

Scott, Orlando Mumford, 163

Scrabble, 379

Sears, Roebuck, 145, 237

“Seasoning,” 94

Sedatives, 271–72

“See” (as in Holy See), 42

Seeds

Burpee, 163–64

grass, 163

“See-Saw, Margery Daw” (nursery rhyme), 192–93

Selchow & Righter, 379

Semi
(game), 376

Serviettes, 81–82

Sewing machine, 147–49

Sex-related words, 347–48

Shakespeare, William, 91

Shalimar perfume, 242—43

Shampoo, 219–20

Shamrock, 54

Shaver, electric, 216–17

Shaving razors, 214–16

Shelley, Mary, 180–81

Shelley, Percy Bysshe, 180

Shen Nung, 269

Sherwin, Henry Alden, 150–51

Sherwin-Williams Company, 151

Shirts, 303–5

Shoes, 294–96

high-heeled, 297–98

thrown at the bride, 26–27

Sibthrope, John, 98

Sideburns, 215

Silly Putty, 379–80

Simmons, Zalmon, 330–31

“Sing a Song of Sixpence” (nursery rhyme), 196–97

Singer, Isaac, 148–49

Skin tights, 344

“Sleeping Beauty” (fairy tale), 168–70

Slinky, 380–81

Smallpox, 225

Smith, William and Andrew, 259–60

Smith Brothers Cough Drops, 259–60

Sneakers, 298–99

Sneezing, superstition surrounding, 10–11

“Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” (fairy tale), 176

Soap, 152–54, 217–19

Socks, 343

Socrates, 1

Sontheimer, Carl, 114

S.O.S. pads, 102–3

Southey, Robert, 177, 178

Spaghetti, 405–6

Spangler, James Murray, 139–40

Spanish flu epidemic, 253–54

Spas, 200–01

Spencer, Percy, 125–26

Sperm, 336

Spermicides, 332, 333

Spic-and-Span, 154

Spina, Alessandro, 264–65

Spoon, 79–80

Squanto, 64–65

Squibb Company, 210

Stainless steel cutlery, 89–90

Standish, Miles, Captain, 65

“Star-Spangled Banner, The” (national anthem), 287–88

Statue of Liberty, 100, 291–93

Steam heat, 132–33

Steam iron, 145–46

Steele, Sir Richard, 91

Steiff, Margaret, 374

Stetson, John B., 310

Stetson hats, 310

Stevens, Harry, 398

Stevenson, Robert Louis, 356

Stilwell, Charles, 107, 108

Stimulants, 269–70

Stockings, 344–47

Stoker, Bram, 179–80

Stone, Herbert, 356, 357

Stork-brings-baby myth, 19

Stoves, cooking, 97–99

Straparola, Gianfrancesco, 175

Strauss, Levi, 302–3

Strite, Charles, 118

Styrene, 129

Suit, man’s, 306

ready-to-wear, 323

Sumerians, 15

antacids, 256–57

bedroom, 326

medications, 245

mirrors, 229

Sunbeam, 145

Sundback, Gideon, 317

Sunglasses, 267–68

Suntan lotion, 260–61

Superstitions, 1–20

black cat, 13–15

broken mirror, 11

evil eye, 17–19

flip of a coin, 15

four-leaf clover, 8

Friday the thirteenth, 13

“God bless you,” 10–11

horseshoe, 4–5

knocking on wood, 6–8

of Neanderthals, 1–2

number thirteen, 11–13

of primitive man, 2

rabbit’s foot, 3

spilling salt, 15–16

“thumbs up” and “thumbs down” gestures, 9–10

umbrella indoors, 16

walking under a ladder, 17

wishbone, 5–6

yawning, covering one’s mouth when, 19–20

Suspenders, 301

Swan, Joseph, 136

Sweden, chlorine bleach, 155–56

Swimming suits, 321–22

Tabasco sauce, 404–5

“Table,” 83

Table manners and customs “bring home the bacon,” 93

children’s, 85–87

chopsticks, 83

crossing knife and fork, 81

“eat humble pie,” 94

“eat one’s hat,” 93–94

Emily Post, 87–88

etiquette, 83, 85, 87–88

fork, 78–79

“give the cold shoulder,” 94

grace, saying, 92–93

“ham,” pejorative use of, 94

knife, 80–81

“let them eat cake,” 95

napkins, 81–82

“seasoning,” 94

spoon, 79–80

stainless-steel cutlery, 89–91

“take the cake,” 94–95

“talk turkey,” 95