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[–] 91 points 6 months ago* (4 children)

You know, looking at that little scarring in the context of the vaccine, I'm reminded that I heard that there's this famous idea that milk maids are historically seen as the very definition of pretty, and that the idea stems from the fact that they tended to get cowpox, which protected them from smallpox.

So, basically, before smallpox vaccines, the typical woman was so badly scarred somewhere visible like her face by smallpox that a woman who simply didn't have those scars would be considered extremely pretty.

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  • [–] 19 points 6 months ago* (2 children)

    Eight maids a-milking

    Seven swans a-swimming

    Six geese a-laying

    Five golden rings

    Four calling birds

    Three french hens

    Two turtle doves

    and a partridge in a pear tree

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