For the most part, history is a lie. Like Disney conveniently forgetting Sleeping Beauty’s rape, scholars have spent a great deal of time trimming the more “sensitive” facts from history, leaving us with a collection of bland, easily digestible anecdotes. Sure, these “scenes from the cutting room floor” may not always be relevant, but they almost always bring the past to life.

Sometimes, though, we end up wishing it had stayed dead. Sometimes, the parts they don’t teach you in high school aren’t just unfit for a Disney movie but would make Quentin Tarantino blush. Here are ten nightmarish vignettes from history that you may not be familiar with.

10 Pavlov’s Forgotten Experiments

Anyone with any knowledge of psychology knows about Ivan Pavlov. His experiments on dogs in the late 19th century made him a household name, at least if your house is full of Psych majors. By ringing a bell when food was presented to his canine subjects, he observed that they would eventually come to salivate at the sound of the bell alone, before receiving food. This paved the way for the behavioral psychology we know today.

But, in reality, his experiments were a bit more extreme. It turns out that Pavlov never once used a bell; he did, however, employ a buzzer, a metronome, a harmonium, and electric shocks to forge mental associations. More horrifically, in order to keep his dogs hungry and ready to test, he surgically carved holes in their throats so that any swallowed food would simply fall out.^[1] Additional holes were opened along the animals’ digestive tracts so that various fluids could be collected for analysis and, bizarrely, to be sold as a remedy for stomach ailments. In addition to being extremely painful, these mutilations resulted in several dogs starving to death despite nonstop feedings.

9 World War I’s Unexpected Drownings

During the summer of 1917, near Passendale (also spelled Passchendaele), Belgium, the Third Battle of Ypres (aka the Battle of Passchendaele) was in full swing. It was trench warfare at its finest as British and German forces clashed, heavy artillery thundered, and PTSD sufferers were spawned en masse. Then it began to rain. For over a month, torrential rainfall pelted the region, bringing the battle to an almost certainly welcome halt.

But the relief was short-lived. It turns out water and dirt create a bizarre substance called “mud,” and nowhere has more exposed dirt than a trench battlefield. As tons of the sticky mixture filled every available space, including the massive craters left by artillery, entire stretches of land became impassable death traps. The water also soaked into the large greatcoats worn by soldiers of the era, adding roughly 23 kilograms (50 lb) of weight just begging to drag them down.

Needless to say, the results were nightmarish. Wounded soldiers were left to slowly drown beneath the ooze, as rescuers couldn’t get near them.^[2] Corpses, buried eye-deep, stared from murky pools. The few troops who managed to survive the sludge only did so by walking along the submerged bodies of their friends.

8 The ‘President Taft’ Killer

President William Howard Taft may not be as well-known as Lincoln or JFK—unless you count that whole bathtub myth—but he has nevertheless left his mark upon American history. It’s just a shame that the mark involves rampant rape and murder.

In 1920 Taft’s New Haven, Connecticut, home was burglarized by a man named Carl Panzram. He mostly took what you would expect, money and jewelry, but he also got his hands on something special—Taft’s .45 pistol.^[3] He kept the gun, sold the jewelry, and used the cash to buy a yacht, which he sailed to New York City. He had a plan.

Under the alias John O’Leary, Panzram began luring sailors aboard his vessel with promises of work. After sailing out to sea, the unfortunate sailors were raped, murdered with Taft’s pistol, weighted with rocks, and tossed into Long Island Sound. Fleeing the city after arousing suspicion, Panzram hopped to various locations around the world in search of new victims before being caught and hanged in 1930. He confessed to the rape and murder of 22 people.

7 London’s ‘Great Stink’

Victorian England is generally believed to have been the pinnacle of polite society; the very words conjure images of gentlemen in top hats cruising around in carriages. And that’s probably accurate enough, but as Charles Dickens reminds us, there was always a revolting reality beneath the “Good day, sir” facade. That reality, in this case, was a river of human feces.

The summer of 1858 was a rough one for England’s capital city. The heat was miserable enough, but the sanity-threatening stench it created was worse. For centuries, London had simply dumped its sewage into the River Thames, which ran right through the heart of the city. This had worked well previously, but the early years of the 19th century saw London’s population double, completely choking the river with human waste. The relentless heat fermented the miles-long stretch of feces into the world’s largest stink bomb, its “evil odour” forcing many, including all of Parliament, to evacuate.^[4] After the biggest city in the world was brought to its knees by stench alone, city planners finally gave in and built a proper sewage system, which is still in place today.

6 The Lindbergh Kidnapping Torture Squad

After his 1927 solo flight across the Atlantic—the first in history—to say Charles Lindbergh was a national hero was an understatement. He was the object of worldwide admiration but also the target of one of the most high-profile crimes of the 20th century: the 1932 kidnapping of his infant son. The public was outraged and desperate for answers—no one more so than detective Ellis Parker.

Despite the conviction and impending execution of Bruno Richard Hauptmann, Parker remained convinced that the real culprit was former New Jersey attorney Paul Wendel. So, on nothing more than a hunch, Parker enlisted three men, including his own son, to snatch Wendel off the street, tie him up in a tiny Brooklyn basement, and make him talk.

In order to “encourage” a confession, Wendel’s captors starved him, partially melted his face with a hot light bulb, beat him with anything they could get their hands on, and threatened to put cigarettes out in his eyes. The grand finale, however, was lashing the brutalized man to an improvised rack and stretching his neck by tying weights to his head.^[5] Wendel eventually confessed to end his torment but rescinded it immediately after. He was never convicted.

5 The First Lady’s Unusual Accessories

The events surrounding President John F. Kennedy’s fateful 1963 visit to Dallas, Texas, are extremely well-known; in fact, you are probably more familiar with his death than his actual presidency. But one bizarre and chilling detail of that November day always seems to escape mention: Jackie Kennedy stubbornly wore her freshly deceased husband’s blood and brain paste for the better part of 24 hours.

When the president was shot, the first lady first dove after the larger bits of his exploded head and then held him as he bled out. This understandably left her now-famous pink suit a little worse for wear. Regardless, she continued to wear it—all the way to the hurried swearing-in of the new President Lyndon Baines Johnson aboard Air Force One. She was urged to change before the event but refused, saying simply: “I want them to see what they have done.”^[6]

Incidentally, the suit still hasn’t been cleaned. It is currently locked away from public view in a climate-controlled vault in Washington DC’s National Archives until 2103.

4 Ancient Egypt’s Parasite Problem

When you think of the ancient Egyptians, you probably think of a few very specific things—mighty pyramids, gold-plated coffins, those guys fanning pharaohs with giant palm fronds, and so on. What you probably don’t think of, however, are bleeding penises. Until today.

The discovery of irrigation by the ancient Egyptians was a great one. It made farming possible, which, in turn, allowed their civilization to grow as powerful as it did. However, it also created large marshes, which were ideal habitats for Schistosoma haematobium, a parasitic worm that tended to burrow into the penises of farmers. Victims of the worms would experience not only pain but heavy bleeding from the penis as well.^[7]

And these weren’t just a few isolated incidents; infection was so common among the farming lower class that the symptoms were believed to be a normal part of life. In fact, boys weren’t considered “men” until they saw blood in their urine, as if it was the male equivalent of menstruation.

3 The Unbelievably Unpopular Prime Minister

History is absolutely packed with unpopular—and brutally executed—politicians. So how do you manage to stand out from the crowd? Just ask Johan de Witt.

In 1672, after several military blunders, Holland was in pretty bad shape. As you might expect, de Witt was blamed for absolutely all of it, due in large part to the influence of rival politicians. The public’s hatred for him slowly grew until it exploded in the most ridiculously over-the-top political statement of all time.

Still recovering from a recent assassination attempt and escorted by armed guards, de Witt visited his statesman brother, Cornelis. As the men spoke, a mob of enraged citizens gathered outside. De Witt’s guards held the crowd at bay as best they could but were suddenly—and highly suspiciously—ordered to leave. The mob descended upon the brothers, emptied every bullet they could find into them, sliced off their genitalia, and strung them up upside down. The de Witts were then slit open, and the crazed citizens began pulling out their entrails, roasting them, and eating them.^[8] It is believed Cornelis was still alive when the evisceration started.

2 The Gold Rush’s Booming Side Industry

When gold dust was discovered at California’s Sutter’s Mill in 1848, the ensuing Gold Rush drew millions of settlers to the then-obscure territory in search of their fortunes. Some hit it big; most didn’t. But regardless of how much time and energy was wasted by the disappointed miners, the real losers were California’s native populations.

In just two decades, native communities that had existed for thousands of years were systematically exterminated. Military massacres of entire villages were commonplace, but the Californian government didn’t want to exclude its many new citizens from the fun. In addition to the legalization of the kidnapping and enslavement of natives, towns began paying for native body parts.

And not just a few of the more bloodthirsty communities, either. This booming new “scalp industry” (heads, hands, and feet were also acceptable, but the scalp was the real “prize”) paid up to $200 a scalp, earning it nearly as many takers as the Gold Rush itself.^[9] Accounts describe mules led into villages completely piled with native heads, scalps, and whatever else might fetch a few dollars. The California government paid out millions of dollars for these grisly trophies.

1 The City Of Cannibals

Between Pearl Harbor, the atomic bombs, Nazi concentration camps, and the Nazis themselves, World War II easily takes the terrifying wartime cake. But hiding behind the well-worn history books and multiple movie adaptations is a chapter of the war seemingly too nightmarish to include: the siege of Leningrad.

It sounds innocuous enough, but the three-year Nazi blockade of Leningrad—now St. Petersburg, Russia—killed as many as ten times the number of people of the Hiroshima bombing. However, what really made the siege stand out in a conflict so brimming with horror was the way in which it killed: starvation. Sure, the Germans bombed the city, but their star player was the slow, withering death imposed upon millions by blocking the city’s food supply.

At first, people got creative; they licked the starchy paste from their wallpaper, boiled leather boots into jelly, and made pancakes from face powder. Then, after exhausting their stray cat supply, they got desperate. By this point, millions had fallen to hunger, and survivors just couldn’t justify letting good meat go to waste. Corpse-eating, or trupoyedstvo, became a regular part of life.

But more horrifically, so did lyudoyedstvo, person-eating. Some just couldn’t wait for their dinner to die on its own, like the mothers who fed their infants to their older children, the man who ax-murdered his grandmother for her liver, the father who fed his son his own mother, and the roving gang of man-eaters snatching the unwary off the streets. In total, over 2,000 Leningrad citizens were arrested for cannibalism.^[10]

Although a vacation or holiday at the beach is supposed to be filled with fun, it can also be a magnet for diseases if you’re not careful. Most people want to stick their feet in the sand or swim in the ocean, but sometimes, that comes at a price.

Some dangerous bacteria hang out at the beach. If you’re not cautious, you may have to cut your trip short with a visit to a doctor. Here are 10 nasty diseases lurking at your favorite beaches.

10 Horrifying Diseases You Definitely Don’t Want To Catch

10 Hepatitis

Viral hepatitis inflames the liver and usually comes in the form of A, B, or C strains. Cirrhosis of the liver can occur in severe cases, and some patients may ultimately end up with cancer. The strains are most commonly transmitted through fecal matter or blood, but medical waste that is handled in an improper manner may expose surfers and swimmers to hepatitis.^[1]

According to the World Health Organization, hepatitis A is rarely linked to recreational water, but the possibility is still there. In 2006, a study conducted by San Diego State University found that 79 percent of tested water samples contained hepatitis A. Sewage runoff in the San Diego area causes pollution, and vaccination programs are now available for surfers in the region.

9 Legionnaires’ Disease

Legionella bacteria can be found in hot tubs because it grows best in warm water between 35 degrees Celsius (95 °F) and 46 degrees Celsius (115 °F). At the beach, the best place to contract Legionnaires’ disease is in a public shower. In 2007, seven of 36 beach showers across Southern Italy tested positive for the most common strain of the bacteria.

In 2005, a study found 32 strains of Legionella in New England’s seawater. Although the bacteria were not infectious, this research shows that Legionella finds warm seawater to be a good living environment.

Legionnaires’ disease is like pneumonia and causes coughing, fever, and muscle aches that may last for up to two weeks. Although most infected patients see their symptoms disappear after a round of antibiotics, approximately 15 percent of cases are fatal.^[2]

8 Stomach Bugs

We’ve all experienced stomach bugs at some time in our lives. But did you know that the beach is a good place to find pathogens that lead to stomach bugs?

Poop is the main cause of this type of sickness at the beach. Fecal contamination and microbes have been found in samples of sand from beaches. They probably come from nearby sewage treatment plants or heavy storms that have carried human and animal waste from the source.

These stomach bugs can cause nausea and cramping, which may even lead to gastroenteritis. Digging in the sand while at the beach has been found to raise the risk of diarrhea.

Beach visitors will likely come down with familiar pathogens such as E. coli, Salmonella, or norovirus, which is the most common stomach flu found in America.^[3]

7 Cercarial Dermatitis

Cercarial dermatitis is more commonly known as swimmer’s itch. Exposure to trematode parasite larvae can cause a patchy skin rash on the infected area. You will normally notice the rash within 48 hours of exposure, and it may stick around for up to seven days.

The parasites usually infect snails and then work their way to birds, but humans are occasionally infected in the process. The rash can usually be treated with an antihistamine. Corticosteroid cream may also provide some relief.^[4]

6 Flesh-Eating Bacteria

You’ve probably heard about flesh-eating bacteria being found at the beach over the past few years, but the chance of becoming infected is quite low. According to the CDC, the US averages 95 cases of Vibrio vulnificus infection per year that lead to 85 hospitalizations and 35 deaths. Half of those cases come from waters across the Gulf of Mexico.

The bacteria, which can enter a swimmer’s body through open wounds, causes the skin to break down and ulcerate. Raw oysters can also harbor the microbe, which triggers abdominal pains, diarrhea, and nausea for those affected.

Antibiotics typically improve a patient’s chances for recovery, but amputation may be required. The best way to avoid flesh-eating bacteria is to stay away from the water with open wounds and be careful of the shellfish you eat.^[5]

10 Diseases That Prevent Other Diseases

5 Hookworms

We love digging our toes into the sand while vacationing at the beach, but that may be a good way to come into contact with hookworms. This parasite can be acquired by walking barefoot on ground that has been contaminated with human feces or by ingesting hookworm eggs.

The eggs spread anywhere that water moves the soil, making the beach the perfect location to find them. These eggs eventually grow into small larvae and try to latch onto animal skin.

If you have hookworms, possible symptoms include an itchy rash, abdominal pain, nausea, weight loss, and diarrhea. Hookworms can easily be prevented by wearing sandals on the beach, sitting on towels when on the ground, and keeping your body washed with soap and water after touching soil and sand.

If you encounter the parasite, pills such as albendazole or mebendazole should clear up the problem.^[6]

4 MRSA

The warm waters and high human traffic make beaches a breeding ground for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, better known as MRSA. A staph infection begins as a tiny bump resembling a pimple, but it can transform into a large abscess.

At this point, it grows deep into the body and is a risk to bones and organs. In severe cases, it can turn into pneumonia or other forms of respiratory distress. Minor skin infections are usually treated with antibiotic ointments, but more severe cases require surgery.

Swimmers in subtropical ocean waters have about a 37 percent chance of coming in contact with a form of staph. In 2012, a survey showed that 1.6 percent of their seawater samples and 2.7 percent of their sand samples contained MRSA. Staph consumes salt as a key nutrient, which is why it survives in marine water longer than freshwater beaches.^[7]

3 Brain-Eating Amoeba

Naegleria fowleri is a brain-eating amoeba that is exceedingly rare and only puts freshwater beachgoers at risk. It frequents the warm waters and soils of freshwater lakes and ponds, which means that swimmers in marine water will not have to worry about the infection.

N. fowleri enters a swimmer’s body through the nose and works its way to the brain. Although it thrives off bacteria, it will consume whatever is in front of it while in the brain.

Symptoms include fever, headache, and vomiting. The usually fatal infection becomes more violent over time by causing seizures and hallucinations before putting the person into a coma.

The CDC confirmed that only 34 cases between 2009 and 2018 were linked to recreational waters. They even believe that it is okay to consume water that contains N. fowleri because the acids in the stomach kill the microbe immediately.^[8]

2 Bloomin’ Algae

Most algae living in the ocean are harmless, but some produce insanely nasty toxins. Runoff can carry nitrogen and phosphorus into waterways which triggers population explosions known as blooms.

These harmful algal blooms contaminate drinking water. Swimmers can also inhale the toxins through water vapor, swallow them, or absorb them through the skin. Some of the toxins attack the nervous system, while others damage the liver.

Touching the algae can produce rashes and skin sores. But swimmers who inhale or ingest the contaminated water may experience cramps, diarrhea, nausea, coughing, and ear infections.

Dinoflagellates cause the harmful algal blooms called red tides that are in salt water. The chemicals produced by these algae can disrupt nerve cells and cause trouble with the eyes and throat.^[9]

1 Roundworms

Beachgoers also have to watch out for roundworms. These parasites typically live in your dog’s intestines and feces. Most humans are infected by accidental ingestion, and children are more often affected than adults.

Beachgoers will not know that they are near the parasite, but the right contact with sand could help trigger the infection. Symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, cough, diarrhea, shortness of breath, fever, abdominal pain, and even worms in your feces. Several medications can be prescribed to help treat roundworms, and many treatments work well.^[10]

10 Infectious Diseases That Changed History

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