Bathtub hoax

A Neglected Anniversary is the title of an article by HL Mencken, in which he recalls the 75th anniversary of the first bathtub in the USA. The content was fictitious, but was not questioned, but more widespread.

The article was published on 28 December 1917 in the New York Evening Mail. In it, he complains that is being neglected by the public, the 75th anniversary of the first introduced in the United States bathtub. This was installed in Cincinnati on December 20, 1842. There they have the dealer Adam Thompson built, who had learned the there in 1828 by Lord John Russell invented tub in England. Mencken describes how the bathtub models were gradually improved, and the difficulties that would have resulted in the development. So you have the bathtub first demonized as decadent and harmful or even banned. Further dissemination 've achieved with inexpensive zinc models from 1847 and medical rubber stamp in the period following the bath. The breakthrough did President Millard Fillmore finally brought the bathtub by a bathtub in the White House he had publicity let up.

On May 23, 1926, in the Chicago Tribune article Mencken Melancholy Reflections. He admits the swindle. He expresses concern that his invention would now commonly taught as truth. He sees the writing of history in general as prone to error and manipulation. Despite Mencken's confession, the false story was not from the world. 1958 was one of Curtis MacDougall on 55 sites, where since the denial in various media contents of the incorrect article were presented as facts. President Harry S. Truman seized in 1952 not realizing the story in a speech. In November 2001, the Washington Post told of Fillmore's bathtub.