subject: Was George Washington Genuinely Short? His Mattress Was. [print this page] Right after visiting a few historical websites, particularly soon after seeing the tiny mattresses; just one is usually left asking a question. Why is the bed so modest? As contemporary beds get larger and larger is seems odd that even presidents would have such tiny beds.
The major factor was not height that drove the bed size, but health. Very first of all, a bed mattress was not the hygienic, clean, comfortable foam and stuffing of our globe. Innerspring mattresses will not be invented till right after Planet War 1. Rather, mattresses can be filled with cotton, wool, straw, as well as other "soft" filling. Buttons along with other quilting strategies could be employed to keep the stuffing in place. These mattresses would most likely closer resemble today's contemporary sleeping bags rather than the inner spring structures 1 sleeps on daily.
With less than ideal cleaning strategies this stuffing could most likely be infested with a variety of insects. Would a single have felt rested knowing what was probably to be in that mattress? Adults consequently would sleep sitting up in bed. Depending about the size in the home and number of rooms in it young youngsters may well even be sleeping at the end on the bed. If this sounds uncomfortable, don't forget that an additional bed mattress was usually placed for the floor at the end on the bed for the favorite servant or slave in the family.
For servants or slaves outside the home a quilt would need to suffice. Functioning slaves have been usually given 1 quilt per year. Think how long even a well made blanket would last, if it was all one particular had for bedding. Little children would perhaps not even get this ration, but would rather share those of their parents or siblings. Others inside the community may possibly attempt to sew their very own blankets, but this will be done right after functioning a full day for the masters and then any cooking or cleaning of their very own homes. Servants had been paid wages, but would most likely have been completely responsible for purchasing their very own bedding and food.
Some contemporary physicians have also speculated that lying down could possibly are already viewed as harder for the heart which would are already additional susceptible to heart disease due to the rich and fatty foods prevalent in a wealthy persons diet. There may well have been completely superstitions at play too regarding laying flat on ones back in bed as being the position from the dead. Lower class persons would have surely had to share any soft bedding they did have with the entire household making any raised bed for laying oneself out a true luxury.
So whatever the considering behind it, a single can see from historical evidence that though the bed mattress are generally quite short the folks who rested in them had been absolutely not remarkably little. Considering back to George Washington (who was a career soldier); following Valley Forge, and also the other battle beds he slept in, would not the bed mattresses of Mount Vernon been luxurious indeed. It would not probably have mattered to him how modest they seem these days.
by: Grubb Young
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