A Brief History On May 5, 1821, Napoleon Bonaparte, erstwhile Emperor of the French died on the lonely island of St. Helena, whispering his last word, Josephine. Digging Deeper The great man, a shell of his former self, in ill health served his exile on a desolate island. Little did he know, things would get worse. When Napoleon died in the custody of the British military, an autopsy was performed and the doctor snagged a souvenir for himself, the dead emperor’s penis. Apparently you could get away with that sort of shenanigans in those days. Napoleon is certainly not alone…
Browsing: May 5
A Brief History On May 5, 1802, two of Napoleon’s generals entered into a pistol duel to the death over perceived insults between them. Digging Deeper Back in early 1801, the French soldiers that had remained in Egypt after Napoleon’s failed expedition there were trying their best to prevent an English army from pushing them out of the country. The French commander-in-chief, General Menou, had only gotten the job after the previous commander General Kléber had been stabbed to death by a religious fanatic. More of an administrator and less of a battlefield commander, Menou was in over his head.…
A Brief History On May 5, 1809, Mary Kies became the first woman granted a US patent. She had invented a process for weaving straw with silk and thread. Over the years women have showed ingenuity and we would like to tell you about 10 of them. Honorary Mention: Eve, The Headache, Day 6. Not only did she invent how to get one, but how to give one as well!) Digging Deeper 10. Mellitta Bentz, Paper Coffee Filter (1908). Ever notice the name brand Mellitta on coffee filters in the store? Now you know where it came from. 9. Marie…
