You’ve probably seen memes about Victorian children not being able to survive drinking a McDonald’s Sprite because it’s so fizzy, or eating a spoonful of Taki powder because it’s too spicy, the Victorian era spanning the majority of the 19th century. If you haven’t, well, it’s a common joke online to say that a Victorian child couldn’t survive the wonders the modern era has to offer, whether it be a very spicy snack or loud music like heavy metal. What exactly is the reasoning behind saying that? It’s sparked debate online: most people believe that a Victorian-era child would not survive consuming a lot of modern-day food, while a handful argue that if those children could survive unsanitary conditions, they could survive eating a spicy chip today. But what would actually happen? Since the Victorian age, we’ve made some clear medical progress and we’ve also evolved further as humans. Let’s take a deeper look into how humans have evolved biologically since the Victorian era and finally answer the question: would a Victorian-era child survive the miracles of the modern day?
Historically, the average life expectancy for a newborn infant in the 19th century was 41 years, whereas in 2021, it was 79 years. What this means is that anyone born in 2021 is expected to live almost twice as long as someone born in the Victorian era, for a multitude of reasons. The primary reason for such a low life expectancy was because infant mortality rate was very high; many infants would not live to their first birthday, significantly dropping the overall life expectancy. Lower class children were usually forced into labor that entailed dangerous working conditions that would often result in a multitude of health conditions and deaths. Public health was not as advanced back then as it is now, so people who contracted diseases were mostly likely to succumb to their illness.
In fact, the medicine of this era was a concoction of drugs that would not be found in normal medicine today, like cocaine, morphine and opium. Morphine could be found in soothing syrups, while opium was widely used for treating coughing and diarrhea. Many children would often die as a result of consuming this medicine, and those who didn’t would most likely develop an addiction to it. Many of these medicines would lead to serious medical complications, such as destruction of the teeth and jaws and organ damage.
Another factor to consider in this debate is the type of food consumed in the Victorian era. Most people in this time period depended on seasonal crops, and the food for the working class was often lacking in flavor. Most of their meals were fruits and vegetables available in that season and were usually accompanied with bread. Meat was expensive for poor families, while middle and upper class families could indulge in imported foods that contained sugar and coffee. As a result, most of the food was rather bland as seasonings were more of a luxury. Most meals were accompanied with low alcohol beer, as beer tended to be cleaner than the water available.
All that being said, let’s finally answer the big question. Today’s foods tend to be very processed and contain a variety of different chemical preservatives to ensure it lasts longer. Realistically, a Victorian child would not die from eating a Taki. However, that doesn’t mean they’d be perfectly okay after consuming modern-day food. Today’s food would contain a large amount of unfamiliar bacteria that would most likely lead to stomach issues, and in the long run, if consumed regularly, death. Victorian children already had weakened immune systems, so consuming something that contains a lot of chemicals would worsen their condition. Prolonged consumption of modern-day food would surely lead to major health issues if not death. Additionally, one serving of modern-day would probably cause a lot of stomach issues due to gastric distress from unfamiliar seasonings and excess sugar. Modern age food is prepared for modern taste, and it’s important to remember that the average Victorian child didn’t consume heavily seasoned food. So while it’s funny to think about it, one single serving of modern-day food would not kill a Victorian child. It’s a different story if they’re eating it regularly, but one serving would at most lead to an upset stomach.
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