The ABC's Of Home Laundering By Rinso

Chloroform, chloral hydrate, arsenic, strychnine; oh there was no end of what you could get from local chemists back then. Had a problem with your husband? Maybe you were caught short and couldn't (or wouldn't) wait for that life insurance money. No problem; pop down to your local chemist or shop and pick up something for a "rat problem" in the house. Several weeks later husband dies, no apparent cause.......

The United States was long behind many European nations when it came to official coroners and in particular knowledge of poisons and poisoners. OTOH many European countries had built up bodies of knowledge going back hundreds of years. They would wouldn't they? The Borgia family wasn't the first and or alone in using poison to dispatch someone that was in the way.

Because medical examiners in the USA prior to around 1920's or so were basically political patronage hacks that had little to no medical background, you could (and people did) literally get away with murder. You just had to poison someone in such a way that it looked at first blush that they died of a natural causes.

Chloroform of course is familiar to those that like old movies. Just sprinkle some on a cloth, hold it over someone's face until the are rendered unconscious...


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Post# 900285 9/24/2016 at 07:52 (2,769 days old) by Launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage)
Checkrate/Likes Enjoy! www.organizedclutter.net/2013/01/... Larger version: www.organizedclutter.net/2013/01/...

Post# 900302 , Reply# 1 9/24/2016 at 09:37 (2,769 days old) by wayupnorth (On a lake between Bangor and Bar Harbor, Maine)
Checkrate/Likes Thats the same booklet that came with my '48 Kenmore, complete with the Martin family

Post# 900313 , Reply# 2 9/24/2016 at 12:06 (2,769 days old) by bradross (New Westminster, BC., Canada)
Checkrate/Likes *Speed Queen version on ebay...* It appears most major manufacturers at the time could customize the cover for their brand in cooperation with Rinso. This Speed Queen version is the one that I have. CLICK HERE TO GO TO bradross's LINK on eBay View Full Size

Post# 900390 , Reply# 3 9/24/2016 at 22:56 (2,769 days old) by MattL (Flushing, MI)
Checkrate/Likes Interesting. I "thumbed" through it, actually scroll wheeled, down quite a way was something I had not thought about in years, but sharp memories quickly returned. Curtain Stretchers! We had a set when I was younger, might still be in the attic, but man were those dangerous. All those nails sticking out, made assembling the thing a literal pain. Plus you had to carefully place the curtains, or tablecloth in place so as not to tear it. I have a large white hand crocheted table cloth somewhere that we used to stretch on it. Pulled it out 10 or 12 years ago for Christmas and put it over a red tablecloth, looked very festive, but after laundering I did not stretch it...

Post# 900392 , Reply# 4 9/24/2016 at 23:13 (2,769 days old) by wayupnorth (On a lake between Bangor and Bar Harbor, Maine)
Checkrate/Likes Where is Mrs. Martins grandchild's father, nothing said or seen about him in the pamphlet other than the oldest daughter obviously must be back living with her parents. That would really be unheard of in the late 40's.

Post# 900394 , Reply# 5 9/25/2016 at 00:29 (2,769 days old) by Supersuds (Knoxville, Tenn.)
Checkrate/Likes I hadn't heard of rubbing lard in grease spots before washing (page 7); seems counterintuitive but I'm sure Mrs. Martin knew what she was talking about. Imagine being able to buy chloroform from a drugstore! How many housewives passed out while spotting their laundry?

Post# 900396 , Reply# 6 9/25/2016 at 01:32 (2,768 days old) by Launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage)
Checkrate/Likes 2 *Imagine being able to buy chloroform from a drugstore!* Chloroform, chloral hydrate, arsenic, strychnine; oh there was no end of what you could get from local chemists back then. Had a problem with your husband? Maybe you were caught short and couldn't (or wouldn't) wait for that life insurance money. No problem; pop down to your local chemist or shop and pick up something for a "rat problem" in the house. Several weeks later husband dies, no apparent cause....... The United States was long behind many European nations when it came to official coroners and in particular knowledge of poisons and poisoners. OTOH many European countries had built up bodies of knowledge going back hundreds of years. They would wouldn't they? The Borgia family wasn't the first and or alone in using poison to dispatch someone that was in the way. Because medical examiners in the USA prior to around 1920's or so were basically political patronage hacks that had little to no medical background, you could (and people did) literally get away with murder. You just had to poison someone in such a way that it looked at first blush that they died of a natural causes. Chloroform of course is familiar to those that like old movies. Just sprinkle some on a cloth, hold it over someone's face until the are rendered unconscious...