Grime and Reason Trivia Quiz

Answer: Human excrement

Ancient Rome was famous for its extensive sewer system. But most citizens did not have access to it because of the cost or because they lived in the hills. But, many who could afford it did not like it because of the stench that it left in their residences.

The duties of the stercorarius was to go door to door collecting everyone's excrement that had been produced the previous day. He would push his cart full of the day's collections to the edge of town. Farmers would buy this refuse to fertilize their crops. Life was a little smellier in the past.

Answer: Young male athletes

The gymnasiarch was an ancient Grecian occupation that was much sought after. It involved oiling athletes and scraping off the oil (and dirt) after their athletic events were over. The gymnasiarch was also in charge of cleaning up after sporting competitions and was responsible for the daily upkeep of the gymnasium.

The gymnasiarch was also in charge of discipline and was expected to keep his youths in prime condition. This was a much respected position and a man had to be wealthy to obtain this job.

Answer: His own legs

For hundreds of years, in many parts of Europe, leeching or bloodletting was considered to be a treatment for many disorders. A leech collector would go into ponds that had indigenous leech populations. They would use their bare legs as bait. They would climb out of the water with leeches all over their legs. Once the leech was full it would let go and the leech man would put it in a bucket for later sales.

The wound where the leech had attached itself could bleed for many hours ... This was not a well-paying field and most leech collectors suffered from chronic blood loss and infection was rampant.

Answer: Funeral clown

Odd as it may sound, a funeral clown was paid to dress up like the deceased person and dance around acting like him. The belief was this would bring joy to the family as well as placate the spirits of the dead. This was an honorable occupation that paid very well, and those who were highly regarded, were used at the funerals of the emperor.

Answer: Milliner

For centuries mercury was used in the making of hats. This toxic substance is known to affect the nervous system. Long-time hatters/milliners were known to tremble or appear insane due to mercury poisoning. Mercury exposure can cause aggressiveness, mood swings and anti-social behavior.

Although it was a respected occupation, most long time milliners did not get to enjoy their success, as they had become "as mad as a hatter".

Answer: Wiping the king's bottom

"The Groom of the Stool" was a prestigious court position who held the honorable duty of getting to wipe the King's bottom after he defecated. Don't laugh. Much of the clothing worn at the time was layered and heavy and inhibited many types of movement.

The next time you use the restroom take notice of the motions involved in this activity. It is not as easy as you might think it is. The Groom of the Stool was usually a nobleman who held a position of high trust and secrecy. This is because the king often did his job, both literally and figuratively, in public. Being the official bum-wiper of the king, the Groom of the Stool had a very high social standing.

Answer: Breastfeeding someone else's child.

A wet nurse was a lactating woman who would breastfeed a baby who was not theirs. For many years it was considered unfashionable or even somewhat immodest for women to breastfeed. Those who could afford it sometimes employed a living-in wet-nurse for a few months.

Some women would take on numerous babies at one time. Some women did this job for years, breastfeeding hundreds of babies. Wet nurses have been used for many reasons in the past including the death of the birth mother, orphaned babies and in various emergencies.

Answer: Under water

Urinatores were salvage divers in Ancient Rome. Their name is believed to be a reference to the fact the deep diving caused so much pressure on their abdomens that they urinated a lot. These ancient divers used a kettle shaped bell filled with air for breathing.

They were weighted down with balls of lead. While their job was mainly salvage they did also move construction equipment around. This was an extremely dangerous job that paid very well. Many urinatores, once they retired (and if they had survived) became very affluent, and well respected members of their society.

Answer: He beheaded people.

A headsman was simply an executioner who specialized in beheading the condemned as opposed to the hangman who specialized in hangings. The sword used by a headsman was usually rather short and usually did not have a point at the end. It was extremely sharp. An expert headsman could behead a person with one swing of his sword.

This was an occupation that often ran in families and beheading was used in some parts of Europe and North America well into the 20th century. Headsman usually earned a good living but were shunned by their neighbors and in some places they were even refused burial in the local cemetery when they themselves died.

Answer: False

A knocker-up was a well-known profession in England and Ireland in the early Industrial Revolution. This was at a time before electrical power in the homes and alarm clocks were both unaffordable and unreliable. A knocker-up went door to door early in the morning knocking on peoples windows to wake them up for work.

The knocker-up usually used a long bamboo stick to reach windows on upper floors. Depending on their reliability, the knocker-up was paid a few pence each week for his duties.