A story from The Wakefield and West Riding Herald from 27th July 1907 reveals how it got a little steamy beneath the sheets for a husband and wife who had retired to bed. 😛
It probably wasn’t the kind of action that either had expected however as it is revealed that the lady in question had applied some white phosphorus to a sore toe, hoping bizarrely that it would cure her corn.
Of course, when exposed to air, the phosphorus would have started to set fire and also glow in the dark, so the husband on seeing this believed that some strange insect had entered beneath the covers.
The situation comedy of him hitting his wife’s phossy toe in error is priceless. 🙂
