Gday...

1790  -     The inventor of the idea of dental floss, Levi Spear Parmly, is born. 

Levi Spear Parmly was born in Braintree, Vermont, on 29 August 1790. As one member of a long line of dentists, he was concerned by the poor dental hygiene of Americans. Toothbrushes and tooth powders were too expensive for many typical Americans. Most people resorted to homemade cleaners, such as gunpowder or table salt, into which a damp cloth was dipped, then used to scrub the teeth.

In 1819, Parmly published a book entitled "A Practical Guide to the Management of the Teeth". In this book, he advocated flossing with waxed silken thread "to dislodge that irritating matter which no brush can remove, and which is the real source of disease". The concept of bacteria being caused by food lodged between teeth was a new concept, and Parmly's revolutionary ideas earned him the unofficial title of The Apostle of Oral Hygiene.

Dental floss was not a popular concept for some time. Silk was clearly the best material for the purpose, being strong enough to withstand being passed repeatedly between the teeth, but it was expensive. Parmly found that coating the silk with wax made it even more effective.

The first dental floss patent was awarded to Asahel M. Shurtleff of the dental-supply company Codman & Shurtleff, of Randolph, Massachusetts, in 1874. The description of the patented product was An Improved Pocket Thread Carrier and Cutter, similar to modern floss packages. However, the company did not actively market the floss until 1882. It was not until Johnson & Johnson developed and marketed the idea of floss on a broader scale from about 1896, that it became more readily available to the common market. the concept actually arose when Robert Wood Johnson, inspired by English physician Joseph Lister, who introduced antiseptic surgery in the late 1870s, began pre-packaging sterile surgical bandages, dressings and surgical sutures. The idea of dental floss made out of the same material was borne out of this.

During World War II, the supply of silk was cut off by the Japanese, forcing America to find a substitute. Nylon had recently been invented by the DuPont Company, which had already offered nylon as a substitute for silk in parachutes for the Army Air Corps. By the end of the war, nylon was being used in numerous other applications, including dental floss.

1868  -     The lighthouse is lit at Bustard Head, the first lighthouse constructed after Queensland separated from New South Wales, and the scene of many tragedies. 

In 1859, the Colony of the Moreton Bay District separated from New South Wales and became Queensland. Although the new colony had a lengthy coastline 6 973km of mainland coastline, and another 6 374km of island coastlines - it had just one lighthouse, and that was at Cape Moreton in the southeast. As the colony grew, and new trade opportunities developed, the need for more lighthouses became apparent.

Bustard Head, a headland originally named by James Cook in 1770, is located about 20km north of the Queensland coastal town of 1770. It was identified in 1864 as one of the sites most in need of a new lighthouse. Plans were drawn up in 1865; orders for the tower were placed with Hennet, Spinks and Company of Bridgwater, England and the lantern was ordered from Chance Brothers of Birmingham, England. The construction tender was awarded to WP Clark, who was later also involved in the construction of lighthouses at Double Island Point, Pine Islet, Low Isles, Cape Cleveland and Dent Island. Standing 18 metres high, the Bustard Head Lighthouse was made from cast iron sheets, and completed in 1868, with the light first lit on 29 June 1868.

Being in such a remote area, requiring the crossing of two treacherous tidal creeks, the lighthouse soon became known for its disproportionate number of tragedies and fatal accidents, given the small number of people who have actually resided on the island. During its construction, one of the workmen died in a construction accident. In 1887, Kate Gibson, wife of the lighthouse keeper Nils Gibson, was found with her throat cut by a razor an apparent suicide. In 1889, 20-year-old Mary Gibson, daughter of the lighthouse keeper, was drowned after leaving Bustard Head in a sailboat, along with a repairman, Alfred Power, and Elizabeth Wilkinson, the wife of the assistant lighthouse keeper. Six year later, Nils Gibson himself died from cirrhosis of the liver. In 1898, two-year-old Milly Waye, who had been born at the lighthouse, died after being severely scalded with boiling water. In 1912, the lighthouse keepers daughter Edith Anderson was abducted while returning to Bustard Head after working at a nearby cattle station. The man escorting her, Arthur Cozgell, was shot. Before dying, Cozgell identified the attacker as local lad George Daniels. Neither Daniels nor Anderson were ever found. Shortly after this, another of the lighthouse keepers daughters died after suffering an epileptic fit. Records at the Queensland State Archives reveal even more tragedies.

Still operated by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority, the light was automated in 1986. Although neglected for many years, the site is now managed by the Bustard Head Lighthouse Association. 

1949  -     Due to the coal miners' strike, severe restrictions are placed on electricity consumption in Queensland, Australia. 

The Australian coal miners' strike of 1949 was sparked by a clash between the miners' basic rights and concerns, and the government's interest in supporting business and mining interests. Coal mining had a high fatality rate, with around 25 miners being killed at work annually, so miners sought the implementation of essential safety policies, as well as a 35-hour week, long service leave, and a 30 shilling a week pay rise. To counter the control of the unions, some of which were led by members of the Communist Party of Australia, the Chifley government brought in strong anti-union laws. Thus, beginning on 27 June 1949, 23 000 coal miners, primarily in New South Wales and Queensland, went on strike.

Supply was severely restricted and laws were brought in to prevent wastage of the limited supply. On 29 June 1949, the Brisbane newspaper 'Courier Mail' reported that breakfast could only be cooked in a half-hour period between 6am and 8am; lunch had to be cold, but beverages could be heated between 11:30am and 1:30pm; cooking for the evening meal was permitted for one hour only between 4:30pm and 6:30pm; and two houselights only could be used up until 9pm, after which a single light could be used until 11pm. In addition, radio stations in Queensland were permitted to be on air only between 6:45am and 9am, and 6:30pm until 10pm, with just a news bulletin being broadcast at midday between 12:30 and 12:50. Operating hours for trams were cut down considerably. Radiators and air conditioning units were forbidden to be used, as was any form of heating for the bath or sink. Irons, laundry boilers and washing machines were limited to a mere two hours per week.

Prime Minister Ben Chifley's initial response was to make it illegal to offer financial aid or support to any of the striking miners. The strike finally ended when, on 1 August, Chifley sent in government troops to operate coal mines near Newcastle in New South Wales, forcing the miners to acquiesce.

Cheers - John