Today I read this in a book about sea glass:
“In the early half of the 19th century there were numerous household cleaners available or substances needed to kill mice and a host of other pests. Unfortunately, many Americans remained illiterate at that time, so evening trips to the medicine chest resulted in a growing number of accidental poisonings.”
The American Pharmaceutical Association mandated that bottle manufacturers put the word “poison” on their bottles, but that wasn’t enough.
The solution was making textured bottles. Weirdly shaped bottles with spiky bumps and harsh lines.
Once you get over how sad it is that people consumed poison because they didn’t know how to read, you can appreciate that it was a clever use of design.
The bottles are treasured by sea glass collectors now. A relic of an ancient design feature brought about by unfortunate circumstances.