In the modern world, self-care is a billion-pound industry, with skincare routines, fitness regimes, and mindfulness apps dominating our lives. But a century ago, self-care looked very different. The early 1900s was a time when medical science was still developing, and many old-world remedies and practices were still widely used. People turned to natural cures, bizarre treatments, and unconventional practices to maintain their health and wellbeing. Some of these methods were rooted in sound principles, while others have faded into obscurity, relegated to the pages of history.
Here are 10 forgotten self-care practices from the early 1900s that reveal just how much has changed—and how much has stayed the same—in the world of wellness.
Air Baths
One of the most unusual self-care practices of the early 20th century was the air bath, popularised by none other than Benjamin Franklin in the 18th century but still used well into the 1900s. An air bath involved sitting or standing nude in a well-ventilated room or outdoors, exposing the skin to fresh air for extended periods. Franklin believed that these air baths could help the body rid itself of toxins, improve circulation, and prevent illness.
While the idea of standing naked in the open air may seem strange today, the rationale behind air baths was based on the belief that regular exposure to fresh air could cleanse the body. In an era when indoor living was becoming more common and air quality was often poor, air baths were seen as a way to reconnect with nature and revitalise the body.
Although air baths are no longer a common practice, their emphasis on the importance of fresh air and natural surroundings resonates with modern ideas of wellness, such as spending time in nature to reduce stress and improve mental health.
Sunlight Therapy (Heliotherapy)
Before the invention of modern vitamin supplements, people in the early 1900s turned to sunlight as a form of therapy. Known as heliotherapy, this practice involved spending extended periods of time in direct sunlight to cure a variety of ailments, from skin conditions to tuberculosis. Sunlight was believed to have healing properties, and doctors often prescribed sunbathing as a treatment for patients with respiratory or infectious diseases.
Sanatoriums with open-air terraces were common in Europe, where patients suffering from tuberculosis would spend hours each day reclining in the sun, often at high altitudes where the air was thought to be purer. In Switzerland and Germany, heliotherapy was a cornerstone of medical treatment.
While the discovery of antibiotics eventually overshadowed sunlight therapy, the importance of sunlight for health persists in modern self-care practices, especially with regard to vitamin D. However, the dangers of overexposure to UV rays, such as skin cancer, are now well understood, making heliotherapy a much more controlled practice today.
Vinegar as a Cure-All
In the early 1900s, vinegar was touted as a cure-all remedy for a wide variety of health issues, including indigestion, infections, and even weight loss. Apple cider vinegar, in particular, was thought to have powerful healing properties, and it was used both internally and externally to treat everything from sore throats to skin conditions.
People would drink diluted vinegar to cleanse their digestive systems or apply it to wounds as an antiseptic. Some even believed that vinegar could help with longevity and overall vitality, a belief that likely stemmed from its ability to kill bacteria and other pathogens.
While vinegar still has its place in modern self-care routines—apple cider vinegar is still used today as a home remedy for various ailments—the belief in its miraculous healing properties has diminished. Modern science acknowledges some benefits of vinegar, such as its antimicrobial properties and ability to aid in digestion, but it is no longer viewed as a cure-all.
Electric Baths
In the early 1900s, electricity was a new and exciting technology, and it quickly made its way into self-care practices. One of the most curious uses of electricity was the electric bath. These baths involved sitting in a tub of water while an electrical current passed through the water, supposedly invigorating the body and curing a variety of ailments, including fatigue, depression, and rheumatism.
Electric baths were often offered in spas and sanatoriums, where patients would soak in electrified water under the supervision of doctors or attendants. The theory was that the electrical current stimulated the muscles and nerves, improving circulation and promoting healing.
While the practice of taking electric baths has long since fallen out of favour—due in large part to safety concerns—the use of electricity in therapy has evolved into modern electrotherapy techniques, such as TENS (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation), which is used to relieve pain.
Turkish Baths
Popular throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries, Turkish baths were a form of steam bath based on ancient Roman and Greek bathing traditions. In the early 1900s, Turkish baths were seen as an essential part of maintaining health and wellness. These baths involved a series of rooms with varying levels of heat and humidity, where bathers would sweat out impurities before being scrubbed down and massaged.
The practice was believed to cleanse the body of toxins, improve circulation, and promote relaxation. Turkish baths were particularly popular in Britain, where many public bathhouses offered these services to the working class as well as the wealthy.
Though the popularity of Turkish baths has waned in favour of modern saunas and steam rooms, the basic principles of heat therapy remain a staple of contemporary self-care. Saunas, steam rooms, and other forms of heat therapy continue to be used to detoxify the body and relax the muscles.
Hydrotherapy
Hydrotherapy, or water therapy, was one of the most popular self-care practices of the early 1900s. This method involved the use of water in various forms—hot, cold, or steam—to treat a wide range of health issues. Hydrotherapy was believed to improve circulation, ease pain, and even cure serious illnesses like pneumonia or typhoid fever.
Many hydrotherapy treatments took place in specialised spas or sanatoriums, where patients would undergo a series of water-based treatments. These could include cold baths, hot steam baths, douches, and even being wrapped in wet sheets. Water was seen as a powerful healing agent, and the ability to withstand extreme temperatures was thought to boost one’s overall health.
While hydrotherapy is no longer as widespread as it was in the early 20th century, its principles are still used in modern wellness practices, such as contrast showers, hot tubs, and aquatic therapy. The idea that water can soothe, heal, and revitalise the body remains a cornerstone of many contemporary self-care routines.
Radium-Infused Products
Before the dangers of radiation were well understood, radium was hailed as a miracle substance in the early 1900s. Radium was thought to have rejuvenating properties, and it was added to a variety of products, including water, cosmetics, and even toothpaste. People believed that radium could boost energy levels, cure diseases, and slow the ageing process.
One of the most infamous products of the time was Radithor, a radium-infused tonic that was marketed as an elixir for vitality and strength. People would drink Radithor and other radium-infused waters as part of their daily health routines, unaware of the long-term health risks. The glow-in-the-dark allure of radium only added to its appeal.
It wasn’t until the 1930s that the harmful effects of radiation became widely known, leading to the banning of radium in consumer products. The tragic case of Eben Byers, a wealthy industrialist who died of radiation poisoning after consuming large quantities of Radithor, served as a grim reminder of the dangers of this once-popular self-care practice.
Heroin Cough Syrup
At the turn of the 20th century, heroin was marketed as a wonder drug and was commonly used in over-the-counter medicines, including cough syrup. The Bayer company, which is now best known for producing aspirin, began manufacturing heroin in 1898, advertising it as a non-addictive alternative to morphine. It was prescribed for a variety of ailments, including coughs, colds, and respiratory issues.
Heroin was widely used in self-care routines, especially as a treatment for children with persistent coughs. Parents would administer heroin-laced syrups to their children without realising the addictive potential or harmful side effects. It wasn’t until the 1910s and 1920s that the addictive nature of heroin became apparent, leading to stricter regulations and its eventual ban.
Today, the use of heroin as medicine seems shocking, but it serves as a reminder of how much our understanding of drugs and self-care has evolved over the past century.
Arsenic Complexion Wafers
In the early 1900s, having a pale, flawless complexion was a symbol of beauty, and women would go to great lengths to achieve it. One of the more dangerous beauty products of the time was arsenic complexion wafers, which were sold as a way to lighten the skin and remove blemishes. These wafers contained small amounts of arsenic, a toxic substance that was believed to enhance beauty when taken in minute doses.
Women were advised to eat the wafers regularly as part of their beauty routine, despite the well-known toxicity of arsenic. The wafers were marketed as a “safe” way to improve one’s appearance, but the long-term effects of arsenic poisoning were devastating, leading to symptoms such as hair loss, skin discolouration, and in severe cases, death.
By the mid-20th century, arsenic was recognised as a dangerous substance, and the use of arsenic in beauty products was banned. However, the desire for a perfect complexion continues to fuel the beauty industry, with countless products now offering safer ways to achieve the same goal.
Lobotomies as a Mental Health Treatment
One of the darkest chapters in the history of self-care and medicine is the use of lobotomies to treat mental health conditions. In the early 1900s, mental health care was in its infancy, and many treatments were experimental at best, barbaric at worst. The lobotomy, a surgical procedure that involved severing connections in the brain’s prefrontal cortex, was first performed in the 1930s and quickly became a popular treatment for conditions such as depression, schizophrenia, and anxiety.
Patients undergoing lobotomies were promised relief from their mental anguish, but the procedure often resulted in severe side effects, including personality changes, cognitive impairment, and in some cases, death. Lobotomies were performed on thousands of patients across the UK, Europe, and the United States, with many institutions adopting the procedure as a standard treatment.
Although the lobotomy is now considered a discredited and unethical practice, it was seen at the time as a groundbreaking solution for treating mental illness. The procedure fell out of favour in the 1950s and 1960s with the advent of more effective psychiatric medications and increased scrutiny of its harmful effects.
The early 1900s was a time when the boundaries between science, medicine, and pseudoscience were often blurred, resulting in self-care practices that now seem bizarre or even dangerous. Many of these methods have been left behind as medical science has advanced, but they offer a fascinating glimpse into the history of how people sought to take care of themselves. While modern self-care is more informed by science, the idea of looking for innovative—and sometimes extreme—ways to maintain health and beauty remains as relevant today as it was over a century ago.
