Man Sitting On A Dead Horse

Speculation abounds over the origin and nature of a strange vintage photo from Sheboygan, WI of a man in a top hat apparently sitting on a dead horse in the middle of the street.

Man sitting on a dead horse in Sheboygan, WI

Man sitting on a dead horse in Sheboygan, WI

According to the Sheboygan Press the photo was taken at South Eighth Street and Indiana Avenue in Sheboygan, Wisconsin between 1876 and 1884 – based on the presence of a bridge over the Sheboygan River in the background and the absence of the railroad tracks that were installed in 1884. Other sources cite the photo as circa 1900. Some don’t think it was in Sheboygan at all.

Due to the rampant sanitation issues with horses in the 1800s some speculate the photo was a political campaign ad. Some other theories are that, since there doesn’t appear to be rigor mortis in the horse’s legs, it could be trick horse for a carnival or sideshow passing through, or that the nice man is just assisting the horse in expelling excess flatulence.

It is rumored that there was a municipal ordinance in place at the time that stated when a horse dropped dead in the street, the owner was required to wait by the animal until someone came to clean it up.

In New York in the 1880s, where herds of pigs roamed the city and horses were literally worked to death with a meager two-and-a-half year lifespan, it was common practice to leave the 1,200 carcasses in the streets to rot until it they had disintegrated enough to be easily removed.

So is this Sheboygan, WI man trying to make a political statement with his trained circus horse, or is he just waiting for a tow?

The Separation

In the realm of independent short film, no one conjures up 24 frames of WTF per second like Robert Morgan, the strange mind behind such bizarre offerings as The Cat With Hands and The Man in the Lower-Left Hand Corner of the Photograph.

One of the best representations of his beautiful, eerie and surreal stop motion style is The Separation, a story about the extraordinary consequences of conjoined twins who decide to separate themselves.

A Chair With Guts

A chair with guts hanging out. Though it appears to be a part of an art exhibit, the exact origin of this photo is unknown. It may not fit your feng shui, but who wouldn’t want an eviscerated chair for their home or office?

Chair with guts

1966 Forehead Grenade X-ray

1966 grenade embedded in soldier's forehead x-rayWhile the origin of this x-ray is unknown, it has been speculated to be a relic from the Vietnam war.

The x-ray shows an intubated person with a hand grenade embedded in the forehead from 1966.

This photo is rumored to have appeared in an old x-ray training textbook with a caption stating the soldier in this x-ray had been walking behind another soldier who set off a mine. The resulting explosion blew the grenade off the webgear of the soldier who set off the mine and struck the soldier in the x-ray.

Terrifying vintage surgical tools

Terrifying Vintage Surgical Tools

Early medicine was scary to begin with, considering the lack of understanding the human body and the nature of illness. But let’s not forget the strange and terrifying old surgical tools and the lack of anesthetic. With names like the tonsil guillotine and the scarificator, surgery looked and sounded more like medieval torture.

Here are some of the surgical tools you would not have wanted to see the doctor walk in with:

Bullet Extractor (1500s)

Elongated bullet extractors could reach bullets embedded deeply in the patient’s body. Extractors like this one had a screw tip that could be inserted in the wound and lengthened to pierce the bullet so that it could be pulled out.
Bullet extractor vintage surgical tool

Amputation Knife (1700s)

Knives used for amputations during the 18th century were typically curved, because surgeons tended to make a circular cut through the skin and muscle before the bone was cut with a saw. By the 1800s, straight knives became more popular because they made it easier to leave a flap of skin that could be used to cover the exposed stump.
Amputation knife vintage surgical tool

Artificial Leech (1800s)

Bloodletting with leeches was such a popular treatment for a range of medical conditions that an artificial leech was invented in 1840 and was used frequently in eye and ear surgery. The rotating blades would cut a wound in the patient’s skin, while the cylinder would be used to produce a vacuum that sucked up the blood.

Cervical Dilator (1800s)

This instrument was used to dilate a woman’s cervix during labor, with the amount of dilation measured on the scale by the handle. Such dilators fell out of favor because they often caused the cervix to tear.
Cervical dilator vintage surgical tool

Tonsil Guillotine (1860s)

This method of removing tonsils worked much like a traditional guillotine, slicing off the infected tonsils. This “double guillotine” design meant that both tonsils could be removed at the same time. Tonsil guillotines were replaced by forceps and scalpels in the early 20th century due to the high rate of hemorrhaging and the imprecise nature of the device, which often left tonsil remnants in the mouth.
Tonsil guillotine vintage surgical tool

Circumcision Knife (1770s)

Ritual circumcision is performed around the world in varying extents and for varying reasons, but few instruments used in the process are as intimidating as this knife from 18th century Europe.
Circumcision knife vintage surgical tool

Lithotome (1740s-1830s)

The lithotome was used to slice open the bladder in order to remove stones. The shaft contained a hidden blade that was inserted into the bladder and then released using a spring handle.
Lithotome vintage surgical tool

Tobacco Smoke Enema (1750s-1810s)

The tobacco enema was used to infuse tobacco smoke into a patient’s rectum for various medical purposes, primarily the resuscitation of drowning victims. A rectal tube inserted into the anus was connected to a fumigator and bellows that forced the smoke towards the rectum. The warmth of the smoke was thought to promote respiration, but doubts about the credibility of tobacco enemas led to the popular phrase “blow smoke up one’s ass.”
Tobacco smoke enema vintage surgical tool

Hysterotome/Metrotome (1860s-90s)

The hysterotome or metrotome was used to amputate the cervix during a hysterectomy.
Hysterotome or metrotome vintage surgical tool

Hirtz Compass (1915)

The Hirtz compass was used to triangulate the path of a bullet through the body to determine where it stopped, so it could be removed with minimal poking and prodding around in the wound.
Hirtz compass vintage surgical tool

Scarificator (1910s-20s)

Scarificators were used in bloodletting. The spring-loaded blades in this device would cut into the skin, and a special rounded glass cup could be applied over the wound. When warmed, it would help draw the blood out at a faster rate.

Trephine (1800s)

A trephine was a hand-powered drill with a cylindrical blade used to bore holes into the skull to relieve pressure caused by excess fluid such as blood. The spike in the center was used to start the procedure and to hold the blade in place while cutting.

Arrow Remover (1500s)

Not much is known about this tool, but it is hypothesized that it was inserted into the wound in a contracted position, with the central shaft used to grasp the arrow. The blades, which appear to have their sharp edges facing outward, were then expanded using the scissor-like handles, thus expanding the flesh around the arrow to prevent the arrowhead from ripping through the meat as it was pulled out.
Arrow remover vintage surgical tool

Hemorrhoid Forceps (1800s)

These forceps were used to grasp a hemorrhoid between the blades and apply pressure to stop the blood supply, causing the hemorrhoid to drop off.

Amputation Saw (1600s)

While some surgeons chose to flaunt their wealth with elaborately decorated saws like this, the crevices in the intricate engravings proved to be a breeding ground for germs.
Amputation saw vintage surgical tool

Mouth Gag (1880s-1910s)

This wooden, screw-shaped mouth gag would be inserted into an anesthetized patient’s mouth to keep the airway open.
Mouth gag vintage surgical tool

Skull Saw (1830s-60s)

This hand-cranked saw’s blades were used to cut through sections of the skull, allowing for access to the brain by other, probably equally horrific surgical instruments.
Skull saw vintage surgical tool

Hernia Tool (1850s)

This unique tool was used after the restoration of a hernia. It was inserted into the body near the affected area and left there for a week to produce scar tissue that would help seal off the hernia.

Ecraseur (1870s)

The ecraseur was used to sever hemorrhoids and uterine or ovarian tumors. The chain was looped over the mass and tightened using the ratchet, stopping the circulation of blood to the area.