Crazy careers

Food testers had it worse than you think, and more odd jobs from the past

Image: Clem Onojeghuo

From medieval Europe to early industrial America, people have taken on some truly bizarre professions. Many of these jobs existed out of necessity, cultural tradition, or lack of technology. Others were born of superstition or unusual demands of society’s elite. From leech collectors to sin-eaters, here are 10 real jobs from history that may sound absurd today but were once legitimate ways to earn a living.

Image: David Trinks

Doctors in medieval Europe and well into the 19th century used leeches for bloodletting. To obtain the large numbers required, collectors waded into marshes and let the creatures attach themselves to their legs.

The demand was so high that wetlands across Europe were nearly stripped of leeches. Despite the grisly nature of the work, it was a stable source of income for poor laborers.

Image: Josh Olalde

In medieval England, ale tasters checked the quality and fairness of beer sold in taverns. They ensured proper strength, taste, and pricing for consumers.

While the role sounds more fun than work, it involved serious regulation. Some tasters also inspected bread, showing how essential beer was to medieval diets.

Image: Daniil Komov

While this job doesn’t sound so strange—we have modern equivalents of this after all—the comparison doesn’t fully capture how essential their work was to 19th-century cities plagued by poor sanitation and overcrowded streets.

In Paris and London, rat catchers became semi-celebrities of street life. Their work helped reduce disease risks, though they themselves faced high exposure to bites and plague.

Image: Boudewijn Huysmans

In Tudor England, "gong farmers" cleaned cesspits and privies. The word "gong" had nothing to do with the Asian percussion instrument; rather, it derived from an Old English term referring to a privy and its contents.

They worked at night to avoid public disgust, carrying waste in buckets outside city walls. The job was dangerous due to toxic fumes, but surprisingly lucrative. Workers often earned more than many skilled tradespeople, though at the cost of extreme social shunning.

Image: Jessica Kantak Bailey

In Tudor and Stuart England, princes weren’t punished directly. Instead, their "whipping boy" was flogged whenever they misbehaved—a form of indirect punishment meant to instill guilt in the young prince.

The practice only worked with boys close to the prince, ensuring emotional impact. One of the most cruel practices of the era, whipping boys often gained favor and lifelong connections at court.

Image: Griffin Quinn

A colorful euphemism for "grave robber," this profession flourished in the 18th and 19th centuries, as demand for cadavers by medical schools reached an all-time high while legal supply remained scarce.

Despite being illegal and widely despised, it was a lucrative career. The trade also created related jobs, as concerned families hired cemetery watchmen and private grave guards. In some infamous cases, "resurrectionists" even escalated to murder to meet demand.

Image: Stephen Radford

In gunpowder factories, specialized workers tested batches by igniting small amounts to check burn quality. How each batch responded to ignition determined the safety and effectiveness of the product.

The work was inherently perilous—accidents were frequent, and uncontrolled explosions could have devastating consequences for both workers and factories. Yet, gunpowder was so essential to empires that testing remained a permanent job.

Image: Gold's Gym Nepal

Did you know treadmills were originally designed for prisoners? Keep that in mind on your next visit to the gym. In 19th-century Britain, prisoners powered massive treadmills that ground grain or pumped water.

The devices also served as punishment through hard, monotonous labor. The so-called "everlasting staircase" could last for hours, leaving inmates utterly exhausted. Perhaps this also explains how prisoners could later easily outrun guards—talk about a double-edged sword.

Image: Amy-Leigh Barnard

Food tasters were employed at royal and imperial courts to sample dishes before rulers ate, ensuring safety from any poisoning attempts. The role existed in ancient Rome, medieval Europe, and even into modern times.

While certainly not the worst job a commoner could hold among royalty (whipping boys and grooms-of-the-stool arguably had it worse), and though some tasters lived comfortably at court, their job was literally a matter of life and death.

Image: engin akyurt

In 17th- and 18th-century Britain, some families hired "sin-eaters" to consume bread and beer placed on a corpse. The ritual symbolized absorbing the deceased’s sins.

Despite their spiritual services, sin-eaters were social outcasts. Typically paid in food or a few coins, they carried a heavy stigma, as they were believed to take on the spiritual burden of the dead they served.

Hospital secrets

What is a "Code Gray" and what you should know if you hear it at the E.R.

A trip to the emergency room can be stressful enough without hearing doctors and nurses speak a language that sounds like a secret code. One minute, someone is asking for medication "STAT," the next there’s a "Code Gray," and another patient is suddenly "NPO." What do those words really mean? Some are official medical terms, others are insider slang, but they all help hospital staff communicate quickly when every second counts. Here are 10 of those codes explained.

The E.R. can be hectic and unpredictable. Most patients are frightened or uncomfortable, but now and then someone becomes aggressive because of pain, confusion, mental illness, or the effects of alcohol or other substances. That’s when you can hear "Code Gray" announced over the speakers.

The code is used to summon security officers to help manage a violent or combative situation. While color codes vary from one hospital to another, Code Gray commonly signals that staff needs extra assistance to protect patients, visitors, and healthcare workers. Even if you know it now, most people in the waiting room never know what happened, and that’s exactly the point.

You have a scheduled surgery, you’re in your bed waiting to be taken to the surgery room, and you ask for a cup of coffee to make the wait lighter. The nurse will probably tell you you’re an NPO. You may think it’s serious, but it’s simply a procedure.

"NPO" is an abbreviation that comes from the Latin phrase Nil Per Os, which means "nothing by mouth." It tells patients they cannot eat, drink, or sometimes even take medication until doctors say it’s safe. The rule is most common before surgery or certain medical tests, when food or liquids could increase the risk of complications or alter the results. It may be frustrating, but it’s an important part of keeping patients safe.

You’ve probably been through the experience of visiting an emergency room, either to get checked or to visit a loved one. In that part of the hospital where everyone is rushing to save lives, you’ve probably heard a doctor asking for the R.C.P. cart or medication "STAT!" It sounds urgent, and that's because it is.

The expression comes from the Latin statim, which means "immediately" or "without delay." Hospitals have used Latin medical terms for centuries, but STAT is one of the few that remains part of everyday conversation. When a doctor says it, the request jumps to the top of the priority list. It doesn’t always refer to a life-or-death situation, but it does mean the medical team needs something done as quickly as possible.

Newborns are always a reason to celebrate at the hospital. Parents usually rest happily next to their child as they receive congratulations from close relatives. However, the hospital is always prepared to handle extremely rare emergencies under "code pink."

If you hear a "Code Pink," it usually means a baby or young child is suspected of being abducted from the hospital. Within seconds, security officers respond, exits may be monitored or blocked, and staff begins following carefully rehearsed procedures. Although different hospitals sometimes use different color codes, Code Pink has become widely recognized across North America as one of the most serious alerts a hospital can issue.

If you’ve ever spent a few days in the hospital, you’ve probably noticed that some patients are walking up and down the halls, while others need help just getting out of bed. When a nurse refers to someone as a "walkie-talkie," it’s actually good news.

This informal expression refers to patients who can walk on their own, use the bathroom without assistance, and handle most basic tasks independently. It’s not an official medical term, of course, but it’s commonly used among healthcare workers because it quickly tells the next shift that the patient requires less hands-on care than many others.

As nurses change shifts, you’ll often hear them give a quick report about each patient. One person may only need medication, while another is described as a "total."

The term is short for a patient who requires total care. They may need help eating, bathing, getting dressed, turning in bed, or moving from one place to another. Although the expression sounds impersonal, it’s simply a practical way for caregivers to communicate how much assistance someone needs.

Most people hear "frequent flyer" and think of an airline reward program. And that’s correct, but in an emergency room, the phrase has a very different meaning.

A frequent flyer is an informal nickname for patients who repeatedly return to the hospital, often due to chronic illness, recurring medical conditions, or other ongoing health issues. Behind the light-hearted nickname is often a difficult reality. Many of these patients are simply dealing with medical problems that require regular emergency care, and the expression is just a way to make the experience a bit lighter among the familiar faces of doctors and nurses.

Not all codes are for patients. The next time you’re in a hospital, look closely at what the nurse is pushing from room to room. It may look like a small rolling desk with a computer on top. Staff often call it a "WOW," short for "workstation on wheels."

As hospitals switched from paper charts to electronic medical records, these mobile computers became essential. Nurses use them to review test results, scan medications, update patient charts, and check doctors’ orders without leaving the bedside. The name sounds funny, but the technology helps caregivers spend more time with patients instead of walking back and forth to a nursing station.

After getting a shot or having blood drawn, most patients never think about where the used needle ends up. It certainly doesn't go into an ordinary trash can.

Hospitals place needles, scalpels, and other sharp medical instruments into special containers designed to prevent accidental injuries. These sturdy, puncture-resistant boxes are sealed when full and safely disposed of in accordance with strict health regulations. This not only protects nurses, but it also protects cleaning crews, waste handlers, and even the public from dangerous needle sticks. It’s one of the most important safety measures in every hospital, even though most patients never notice it.

If you’ve ever watched a medical drama, you've probably seen a patient become so agitated that several staff members rush into the room. In situations like that, a doctor or nurse may ask for a "B-52." But the name has nothing to do with numbers themselves; it actually comes from a medicine.

B-52 is hospital slang for a fast-acting injection used to calm down patients who are severely combative or at risk of harming themselves or others. The nickname comes from a commonly used combination of medications that usually include diphenhydramine, haloperidol, and lorazepam. It’s strictly reserved for when other methods of calming the patient haven’t worked.