Setting: Sigh. Again, alternate-universe 19th century Paris. This particular character seems to hail from about the 1830s, but chronologically, we're rather... disarrayed
( Read more... )
Hmmm, yeah, seconding what everyone has said -- he'd do it himself. Probably to emulate a sailor or something.
That being said, he'd probably use a nail or something to pierce it with, or the tip of a knife, or something that's not a needle, because IIRC needles were something of a commodity, and a good needle (or any needle at all) would be hard to come by.
Actually I read somewhere that young male prostitutes were rather well treated by their "benefactors", a number of whom were rather wealthy. So if he got his ear(s) pierced while he was still a prostitute, it would probably have been done by someone else, probably someone more learned, who could have used a needle, even perhaps a heated one. Because even in the 19th century people recognized that heated metal == cauterized wound.
Alcohol was also used as an antiseptic back then (not that they knew it to be an antiseptic, per se), but if he was lacking in education and was doing it all himself, I'm pretty sure he wouldn't recognize that fact. Actually, this source claims that antiseptic agents were generally available during the 19th century, but another source makes me think that this knowledge was limited to the medical/highly learned community.
The replies I've been getting for this question keep reminding me why I love this community so much. You guys rock.
I think I'll likely be going for the sharp pointy object + a lot of concentration method, but your second possibility is intriguing. (For sake of tradition, I'd involve a potato in all this-- I thought for years you used a lemon, I'm so glad I was never called upon to pierce anyone's ears at short notice-- but I kind of doubt whether that would work out for his particular setting.)
That being said, he'd probably use a nail or something to pierce it with, or the tip of a knife, or something that's not a needle, because IIRC needles were something of a commodity, and a good needle (or any needle at all) would be hard to come by.
Actually I read somewhere that young male prostitutes were rather well treated by their "benefactors", a number of whom were rather wealthy. So if he got his ear(s) pierced while he was still a prostitute, it would probably have been done by someone else, probably someone more learned, who could have used a needle, even perhaps a heated one. Because even in the 19th century people recognized that heated metal == cauterized wound.
Alcohol was also used as an antiseptic back then (not that they knew it to be an antiseptic, per se), but if he was lacking in education and was doing it all himself, I'm pretty sure he wouldn't recognize that fact. Actually, this source claims that antiseptic agents were generally available during the 19th century, but another source makes me think that this knowledge was limited to the medical/highly learned community.
Reply
I think I'll likely be going for the sharp pointy object + a lot of concentration method, but your second possibility is intriguing. (For sake of tradition, I'd involve a potato in all this-- I thought for years you used a lemon, I'm so glad I was never called upon to pierce anyone's ears at short notice-- but I kind of doubt whether that would work out for his particular setting.)
Reply
Leave a comment