40 Unsettling Traditions From The Victorian Era That Are Better Left In The Past

When it comes to the Victorian era, rules reigned supreme. More than ever before, every aspect of social life was strictly codified; if you wanted to be truly upper class, you simply had to behave the right way — though not everything was as fancy and formal as we've been led to believe. In fact, Victorian life was actually filled with plenty of dark, dirty, and disgusting realities, proving this period was far less prim and proper than you might think.

1. Performance-Enhancing Poison

Victorian athletes were known to drink strychnine and chew on coca leaves for a performance-enhancing boost. While it's not clear if they were technically cheating, their bodies probably didn't appreciate the habit!

2. Deadly Beauty

During the Victorian era, women wanted to make sure they looked their best. While there's nothing wrong with that, their makeup could literally kill them! Cosmetics of the day were made with things like lead, mercury, and arsenic.

3. Arsenic For Everyone

Even men were able to get their daily dose of arsenic, albeit for a different purpose. If a gentleman was having trouble in the bedroom or contracted syphilis, arsenic was the "answer" to his problems.

4. Sticky, Sweet Toothpaste

Brushing your teeth sounds simple enough, right? Victorians still managed to make that gross, too. As you might imagine, "toothpaste" made of charcoal and honey often led to more dental problems than it prevented.