CNJ+ July 2023

THAT NO LONGER EXIST By, Pam Teel

Jobs

only for physically fit and fearless people who were up to the challenge. Be ginning in the 1800s, men would fasten a heavy piece of marble to themselves and dive up to 30 meters. When the water became too cold after summer ended, the sea sponge harvesters would return home, much to the relief of their friends and family. Sea sponges harvested today are still found by trained divers using specially designed cutting hooks or knives. They leave enough of the base of the sponge for it to quickly regenerate. Once cut, the divers gently squeeze the gurry out of the sponge and take them back to the boats. Brewess- Ancient civilizations credit the invention of beer to women, and in Europe during the 1700s, licensed female brewers were the norm. There were even laws that mandated that brewing tools were the sole property of women. However, during the industrial revolution, brewing was moved out of the home and into the marketplace, and brewesses were phased out. Broomsquire- Broomsquires, a profession that was common before the 1800s, were artisans that made and sold brooms. The broomsquires were often poor and lived in rural areas, where they would collect birch twigs to produce brooms. People with this profession were often looked down upon and were relegated to the same class as gypsies. Scribe- Before printing was invented, scribes would copy manuscripts and oth er documents word for word, and they were common in the medieval period around 1350. In Judaism, a scribe was originally called a “sofer” and was tasked with copying the Bible from the fifth century BCE to the first century CE. Even tually, the printing press was invented, and this tedious job became obsolete. Rat Catcher- In London starting in the Victorian era, the city was infest ed with rats, which were known by then as carriers of disease. To solve the problem, many young people, including children, became rat catchers, and preferred this job to chimney sweeping or working in coal mines. Rats were either captured alive and sold as house pets or poisoned in an effort to erad icate them from the streets. Plague Doctor- In the 14th century as the bubonic plague took hold and rapidly spread, plague doctors were hired by villages to treat infected people. The plague doctors invented masks to protect themselves from the “conta gious air,” and many carried a wooden cane so they could examine patients without touching them. These doctors would usually attempt to treat the plague through bloodletting or having the patient drink a juice with rose hips. Water Carrier- In India beginning in the 1600s, water carriers or bhishtis would collect drinking water and carry it back to a village, providing fresh water to families and individuals. However, as pipe systems evolved and be came more commonplace, the profession was no longer necessary and be came obsolete. Herb Strewer- In the 16th and 17th centuries, royal families would employ an herb strewer whose job would be to cover up odors both outdoors and indoors using fresh herbs. However, when sewage systems and plumbing became more advanced and controlled and perfumes were invented, the job was no longer needed. Toad Doctor- Starting in the 1600s, doctors and medical researchers be lieved that toads had healing properties, and they started to use toads in the practice of medicine. Toad doctors would practice a medicinal folk magic in western England until the end of the 19th century, using dried and pow dered toads to soothe inflammation as well as relieve headaches and a skin condition known today as scrofula. Drysalter- In Great Britain in the 1700s, a drysalter was a dealer that would provide chemical products—such as dyes and dry chemicals—in dried, tinned, salted foods, or edible oils. These products would be used for

As technology advances and processes become automated, some people that once held jobs that were considered essential, suddenly found them selves seeking another profession. By 2030, about 800 million jobs could disappear due to automation, and in the United States alone, 39 million to 73 million jobs could become automat ed. You can already see it happening in stores where they have self-checkout machines and restaurants and businesses where you can order online, cut ting out the need for human interaction. According to Stacker, a news media company, here’s a list of some jobs that are no longer hiring: Town Crier- In medieval England, the town crier would inform the towns people of the latest news, proclamations, and other information, as most people were illiterate and were not able to read the news. After the town crier would read his message, he would post a notice on the door of a local inn—which is why some newspapers are referred to today as “The Post.” Food Taster- The practice of employing people to taste the food for a mem ber of a royal family or an important figure to ensure that the food wasn't poisoned dates back to ancient Egypt and ancient Rome. Several chemicals can be used to poison people, but only cyanide can kill a person within min utes. Other poisons take time to show effects, and most royals weren't keen on waiting days to eat a meal just to see if the food taster would end up ill. Bematist- Bematists were people trained in ancient Greece to measure their steps to calculate distances. The bematists would often publish their findings in monographs called Stathmoi, which published distances as well as reports of natural findings and empirical customs. Nomenclator- In ancient Rome, a nomenclator would be hired to an nounce the names of guests or people to their master. Roman politicians, especially, took up the practice of employing nomenclators and would have them whisper the names of people as they approached during a political rally to make the politician appear personable and knowledgeable. Tosher- During the Victorian era in London, people called toshers would make a living by breaking into the city's sewage system and searching for coins, scraps of metal, pieces of bone, or anything else they could find that was of value. Toshers earned what is today about $50, which put them at the same level as the working class. Entering sewers became illegal in 1840, and people who caught others breaking this law were offered a reward, which discouraged the sewer-diving. Moirologist- In ancient Egyptian and Mediterranean cultures, moirolo gists, or professional mourners, were women who were hired by families to grieve the loss of relatives and lament the death of a loved ones. The moirol ogist would also guard the body before it was buried and instruct mourners throughout the grieving process. Castrato- When women were banned from performing in the theater in the 16th century, young boys would undergo castration before puberty to create an adult voice that was more powerful and could reach much higher notes. The “castrati” were all the rage and extremely popular in Italian opera and often reached celebrity status. However, the practice was both illegal and inhumane, and thankfully died out. Linkboy- In 17th century London, before streetlights were commonplace, young boys looking to make money would be hired at night to light torches and walk people home from taverns or other places. Sometimes, linkboys would lead patrons into dark alleys where robbers would be waiting in the shadows. Sea Sponge Harvester- Men in Greece's Kalymnos Island made a living for hundreds of years as sea sponge harvesters, which was a profession reserved

28 CNJ+ | FORMERLY THE MILLSTONE TIMES

JULY 2023