Photo Galleries

Archive Gallery: PopSci's Daycare of Horrors

Posted 3.31.11 at 4:54 am 7 Comments

IMAGE 1 OF 11

Sleeping Porch: May 1916

A baby porch suspended a hundred feet above ground? What could possibly go wrong? As city populations grew, people grew concerned about raising young children in tight spaces. Inventors suggested the miniature sleeping porch, which could be installed outside any window. The device seemed sturdy enough -- an iron brace enabled it to carry 500 pounds of weight, while anchors protected the porch from strong winds. The compartment's barred windows and netting kept the baby from climbing out (and bugs from flying in), and as the image shows, it was roomy enough to hold a tiny carriage "so that the effort of the mother in taking the baby in and out is reduced to a minimum."

Read the full story in "Outdoors Yet Indoors"

IMAGE 1 OF 11

Read the article: Archive Gallery: Popular Science's Daycare of Horrors

More Photo Galleries

7 Comments

Link to this comment

thraSh

04/01/11 at 12:27 pm

I don't think our "inventions" have changed much for the better...

Just turn on the TV (TV? People still watch cable TV with the internet?) late at night and watch all the "infomercials" for products that are revolutionary and will change your world...

Long live the pursuit of money...

Link to this comment

rettaH_daM

04/01/11 at 12:32 pm

"Concealed behind a curtain, the black would focus on an electric sensor that would trigger an alarm if the barrier were reached."

Um, I am hoping that you left the word "light" out of this sentence. Otherwise, it gives the impression that perhaps the device is monitored by ... well, let's just say it gives the wrong impression. Granted, this was 1934, but still ...

Link to this comment

-my name here-

04/01/11 at 1:16 pm

I wonder how many of todays articles will be looked back upon by future generations in disgust.

Link to this comment

ford2go

04/02/11 at 1:45 am

Horrors seems a little strong for some of these ideas.

The window porch -- if it was properly engineered -- would be no worse than a balcony is for adults. It was an enclosed space, and might be a way to provide a baby a relatively cool sleeping environment in apartments that could be stifling at times.

As for the gas masks --- gas attacks were a very real possibility. These would seem to be a fairly effective solution.

And how about the bathtub safety harness. It's not only the doorbell that's an interruption. You may have 2 or more small children, and be home alone with them. Sometimes when bathing one child, another one might want -- or even need -- attention. It would be nice to have something that would allow one to leave for a few minutes if need be.

The mechanical cradles were a bit over the top. However, wind up and battery powered swings are part of most parent's arsenal. Most babies like to be rocked.

Link to this comment

ford2go

04/02/11 at 2:01 am

One more thing that I just remembered.

In the Popsci automotive section, there was a true horror. I believe that it was some time in the 40s. There was an article showing how to make your backseat into a play area for infants -- sort of like a crib. While there were no car seats at the time, this was somewhat less safe than having an adult holding on to the child.

Link to this comment

fanniecarnes

04/08/11 at 6:49 am

This post is awesome..i've been reading tons of crap posts from other blogs, but shows you have a more educated reader base.

Link to this comment

engineerzero

04/09/11 at 10:27 am

In modified form, some of these inventions eventually came to be: the automatic baby rocker, the baby carrier, the baby monitor. We may yet come to use that baby gas mask thing.