Tag: Germ theory

In the mid-19th century, milk spoilage and milkborne diseases were rampant, with some estimates linking milk to nearly a quarter of all food and waterborne outbreaks in the U.S. before 1938. This grave public health crisis was eventually addressed by a groundbreaking invention that increased the shelf life of milk and made it safe for consumption: pasteurization.

The practice of putting onions in pockets dates back to the 1500s, rooted in the now-debunked miasma theory that believed disease spread through poisonous air. However, this tradition is now understood to be an unproven folk remedy, and there is no scientific reason why you should keep onions in pockets for your health.