Eighteenth-century Englishman Thomas Day decided that the only way to have a perfect wife was to create one. So he adopted two orphans and attempted to train them, sometimes in incredibly abusive ways.

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Eighteenth-century Englishman Thomas Day decided that the only way to have a perfect wife was to create one. So he adopted two orphans and attempted to train them, sometimes in incredibly abusive ways. Learn more about your ad-choices at <a href="https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com">https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com</a>

Join Holly and Tracy as they bring you the greatest and strangest Stuff You Missed In History Class in this podcast by iHeartRadio.

Stuff You Missed in History Class

Eighteenth-century Englishman Thomas Day decided that the only way to have a perfect wife was to create one. So he adopted two orphans and attempted to train them, sometimes in incredibly abusive ways.

Thomas Day’s Quest for the Perfect Wife

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/e3f19eea-a7ef-4ac0-99df-ae2800631258/transcript

The second part of Percy Fawcett's story delves into his fascination with a document known as Manuscript 512 and how it impacted his life. His obsession led to his disappearance; there has been endless speculation about what exactly happened.

Research:
Biello, David. “Ancient Amazon Actually Highly Urbanized.” Scientific American. August 28, 2008.
“The Brazilian Indigenous People.” Survival International. https://www.survivalinternational.org/peoples/brazilian
Britannica Editors. "Mato Grosso". Encyclopedia Britannica, 10 Jan. 2026, https://www.britannica.com/place/Mato-Grosso
Canal-Soler, Jordi. “The man who died searching for the Lost City of Z.” National geographic. June 13, 2024. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/percy-fawcett-search-lost-city-of-z
Fawcett, Lt-Col P.H. “Exploration Fawcett.” Hutchinson & Co. London. 1953.
“Fawcett’s Bones Believed Found; Explorer Lost in Brazil Jungle in ’25.” New York Times. April 4, 1951. https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1951/04/04/82103136.pdf?pdf_redirect=true&ip=0
“Fawcett Mystery Unsolved.” New York Times. Nov. 5, 1951. https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1951/11/05/81775504.pdf?pdf_redirect=true&ip=0
Grann, David. “The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon.” Doubleday. 2009.
“Hidden City Is the Goal.” Los Angeles Times. Jan 12, 1925. https://www.newspapers.com/image/380427463/
Hutchison, Percy. “Hunting for Lost Explorers in the Jungles of Brazil.” New York Times. Jan. 26, 1930. https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1930/01/26/96041140.pdf?pdf_redirect=true&ip=0
Moutinho, Sofia. “A Foundation of Trust.” Science. Nov. 6, 2025. https://www.science.org/content/article/unearth-their-past-amazonian-people-turn-language-white-men-understand
“'Lost' report exposes Brazilian Indian genocide.” Survival International. April 25, 2013. https://www.survivalinternational.org/news/9191
“On Colonel Fawcett’s Train in Unknown Brazil by Air and River.” Illustrated London News. Sep 10, 1932. https://www.newspapers.com/image/1143308620/?match=2&terms=%22Vincenzo%20Petrullo%22&search-id=72603589-1171-4291-b93b-9c5eeffb7d90&search-rank=1
“Percy Fawcett.” Spike Island. https://www.spikeislandcork.ie/percy-fawcett/
“Lieutenant Colonel Percy Harrison Fawcett DSO, (MiD).” Tiegnmouth & Shaldon Remembers WW1. Teign Heritage. https://www.teignheritageworldwar.org.uk/index.php/lieutenant-colonel-percy-harrison-fawcett
Pezzati, Alessandro. "The Lost Explorer." Expedition Magazine59, no. 2. September, 2017. https://www.penn.museum/sites/expedition/the-lost-explorer/
Potts, Mary Anne. “Finding Machu Picchu: A Look at Explorer Hiram Bingham, A Real-Life Indiana Jones.” National Geographic. May 26, 2010. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/article/machu-picchu-hiram-bingham
“Remembering Col. Fawcett in WWI.” Torquay Museum. Nov. 4, 2021. https://torquaymuseum.org/news/view/remembering-col-fawcett-in-wwi
Ribeiro, Taisa Alves and André Luiz Alves Moreno. “Towards an Archaeology of the Written Culture of Chapada Diamantina-BA: The Case of Manuscript 512.” Garimpus: Journal of Languages, Education and Culture in Chapada Diamantina. Vol. 2, no. 1. 2021. https://www.revistas.uneb.br/garimpus/article/view/8740
“Son of Lost Explorer Says Bones Are Not Fawcett's.” New York Times. Nov. 4, 1951. https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1951/11/04/96221387.html?pageNumber=66
Squires, Cole. “TRANSCRIPTION/TRANSLATION NOTES (Manuscript 512).” Harvard. https://people.math.harvard.edu/~knill/teaching/mathe320_2021/exhibits/manuscript512/translation.pdf
“Sustainable Mato Grosso.” Amazon Fund. https://www.amazonfund.gov.br/en/projeto/Sustainable-Mato-Grosso/
“Swindon Woman Awaits News of Colonel Fawcett.” Swindon Advertiser. April 13, 1932. https://www.newspapers.com/image/1209686028/?match=2&terms=%22percy%20fawcett%22&search-id=667a33c0-fac9-457e-bcf9-349a1d9b7e9f&search-rank=2
“Why do they hide?” Survival International. https://www.survivalinternational.org/articles/3104-why-do-they-hide

 

The second part of Percy Fawcett's story delves into his fascination with a document known as Manuscript 512 and how it impacted his life. His obsession led to his disappearance; there has been endless speculation about what exactly happened.
Research:
<ul>
<li>Biello, David. &ldquo;Ancient Amazon Actually Highly Urbanized.&rdquo; Scientific American. August 28, 2008.</li>
<li>&ldquo;The Brazilian Indigenous People.&rdquo; Survival International. https://www.survivalinternational.org/peoples/brazilian</li>
<li>Britannica Editors. "Mato Grosso".&nbsp;Encyclopedia Britannica, 10 Jan. 2026, https://www.britannica.com/place/Mato-Grosso</li>
<li>Canal-Soler, Jordi. &ldquo;The man who died searching for the Lost City of Z.&rdquo; National geographic. June 13, 2024. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/percy-fawcett-search-lost-city-of-z</li>
<li>Fawcett, Lt-Col P.H. &ldquo;Exploration Fawcett.&rdquo; Hutchinson &amp; Co. London. 1953.</li>
<li>&ldquo;Fawcett&rsquo;s Bones Believed Found; Explorer Lost in Brazil Jungle in &rsquo;25.&rdquo; New York Times. April 4, 1951. https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1951/04/04/82103136.pdf?pdf_redirect=true&amp;ip=0</li>
<li>&ldquo;Fawcett Mystery Unsolved.&rdquo; New York Times. Nov. 5, 1951. https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1951/11/05/81775504.pdf?pdf_redirect=true&amp;ip=0</li>
<li>Grann, David. &ldquo;The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon.&rdquo; Doubleday. 2009.</li>
<li>&ldquo;Hidden City Is the Goal.&rdquo; Los Angeles Times. Jan 12, 1925. https://www.newspapers.com/image/380427463/</li>
<li>Hutchison, Percy. &ldquo;Hunting for Lost Explorers in the Jungles of Brazil.&rdquo; New York Times. Jan. 26, 1930. https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1930/01/26/96041140.pdf?pdf_redirect=true&amp;ip=0</li>
<li>Moutinho, Sofia. &ldquo;A Foundation of Trust.&rdquo; Science. Nov. 6, 2025. https://www.science.org/content/article/unearth-their-past-amazonian-people-turn-language-white-men-understand</li>
<li>&ldquo;'Lost' report exposes Brazilian Indian genocide.&rdquo; Survival International. April 25, 2013. https://www.survivalinternational.org/news/9191</li>
<li>&ldquo;On Colonel Fawcett&rsquo;s Train in Unknown Brazil by Air and River.&rdquo; Illustrated London News. Sep 10, 1932. https://www.newspapers.com/image/1143308620/?match=2&amp;terms=%22Vincenzo%20Petrullo%22&amp;search-id=72603589-1171-4291-b93b-9c5eeffb7d90&amp;search-rank=1</li>
<li>&ldquo;Percy Fawcett.&rdquo; Spike Island. https://www.spikeislandcork.ie/percy-fawcett/</li>
<li>&ldquo;Lieutenant Colonel Percy Harrison Fawcett DSO, (MiD).&rdquo; Tiegnmouth &amp; Shaldon Remembers WW1. Teign Heritage. https://www.teignheritageworldwar.org.uk/index.php/lieutenant-colonel-percy-harrison-fawcett</li>
<li>Pezzati, Alessandro. "The Lost Explorer."&nbsp;Expedition Magazine59, no. 2. September, 2017. https://www.penn.museum/sites/expedition/the-lost-explorer/</li>
<li>Potts, Mary Anne. &ldquo;Finding Machu Picchu: A Look at Explorer Hiram Bingham, A Real-Life Indiana Jones.&rdquo; National Geographic. May 26, 2010. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/article/machu-picchu-hiram-bingham</li>
<li>&ldquo;Remembering Col. Fawcett in WWI.&rdquo; Torquay Museum. Nov. 4, 2021. https://torquaymuseum.org/news/view/remembering-col-fawcett-in-wwi</li>
<li>Ribeiro, Taisa Alves and Andr&eacute; Luiz Alves Moreno. &ldquo;Towards an Archaeology of the Written Culture of Chapada Diamantina-BA: The Case of Manuscript 512.&rdquo; Garimpus: Journal of Languages, Education and Culture in Chapada Diamantina. Vol. 2, no. 1. 2021. https://www.revistas.uneb.br/garimpus/article/view/8740</li>
<li>&ldquo;Son of Lost Explorer Says Bones Are Not Fawcett's.&rdquo; New York Times. Nov. 4, 1951. https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1951/11/04/96221387.html?pageNumber=66</li>
<li>Squires, Cole. &ldquo;TRANSCRIPTION/TRANSLATION NOTES (Manuscript 512).&rdquo; Harvard. https://people.math.harvard.edu/~knill/teaching/mathe320_2021/exhibits/manuscript512/translation.pdf</li>
<li>&ldquo;Sustainable Mato Grosso.&rdquo; Amazon Fund. https://www.amazonfund.gov.br/en/projeto/Sustainable-Mato-Grosso/</li>
<li>&ldquo;Swindon Woman Awaits News of Colonel Fawcett.&rdquo; Swindon Advertiser. April 13, 1932. https://www.newspapers.com/image/1209686028/?match=2&amp;terms=%22percy%20fawcett%22&amp;search-id=667a33c0-fac9-457e-bcf9-349a1d9b7e9f&amp;search-rank=2</li>
<li>&ldquo;Why do they hide?&rdquo; Survival International. https://www.survivalinternational.org/articles/3104-why-do-they-hide</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;

The second part of Percy Fawcett's story delves into his fascination with a document known as Manuscript 512 and how it impacted his life. His obsession led to his disappearance; there has been endless speculation about what exactly happened.

Percy Fawcett, Manuscript 512, and a Lost City in the Amazon, Pt. 2

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/69124264-7025-40c5-a8b0-b4b70046ef49/transcript

Fawcett’s life has invited controversy and speculation, because he was a man who did a mix of great and shady things. Part one covers his early life, marriage, military service, and early visits to South America.

Research:
Biello, David. “Ancient Amazon Actually Highly Urbanized.” Scientific American. August 28, 2008.
“The Brazilian Indigenous People.” Survival International. https://www.survivalinternational.org/peoples/brazilian
Britannica Editors. "Mato Grosso". Encyclopedia Britannica, 10 Jan. 2026, https://www.britannica.com/place/Mato-Grosso
Canal-Soler, Jordi. “The man who died searching for the Lost City of Z.” National geographic. June 13, 2024. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/percy-fawcett-search-lost-city-of-z
Fawcett, Lt-Col P.H. “Exploration Fawcett.” Hutchinson & Co. London. 1953.
“Fawcett’s Bones Believed Found; Explorer Lost in Brazil Jungle in ’25.” New York Times. April 4, 1951. https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1951/04/04/82103136.pdf?pdf_redirect=true&ip=0
“Fawcett Mystery Unsolved.” New York Times. Nov. 5, 1951. https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1951/11/05/81775504.pdf?pdf_redirect=true&ip=0
Grann, David. “The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon.” Doubleday. 2009.
“Hidden City Is the Goal.” Los Angeles Times. Jan 12, 1925. https://www.newspapers.com/image/380427463/
Hutchison, Percy. “Hunting for Lost Explorers in the Jungles of Brazil.” New York Times. Jan. 26, 1930. https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1930/01/26/96041140.pdf?pdf_redirect=true&ip=0
Moutinho, Sofia. “A Foundation of Trust.” Science. Nov. 6, 2025. https://www.science.org/content/article/unearth-their-past-amazonian-people-turn-language-white-men-understand
“'Lost' report exposes Brazilian Indian genocide.” Survival International. April 25, 2013. https://www.survivalinternational.org/news/9191
“On Colonel Fawcett’s Train in Unknown Brazil by Air and River.” Illustrated London News. Sep 10, 1932. https://www.newspapers.com/image/1143308620/?match=2&terms=%22Vincenzo%20Petrullo%22&search-id=72603589-1171-4291-b93b-9c5eeffb7d90&search-rank=1
“Percy Fawcett.” Spike Island. https://www.spikeislandcork.ie/percy-fawcett/
“Lieutenant Colonel Percy Harrison Fawcett DSO, (MiD).” Tiegnmouth & Shaldon Remembers WW1. Teign Heritage. https://www.teignheritageworldwar.org.uk/index.php/lieutenant-colonel-percy-harrison-fawcett
Pezzati, Alessandro. "The Lost Explorer." Expedition Magazine59, no. 2. September, 2017. https://www.penn.museum/sites/expedition/the-lost-explorer/
Potts, Mary Anne. “Finding Machu Picchu: A Look at Explorer Hiram Bingham, A Real-Life Indiana Jones.” National Geographic. May 26, 2010. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/article/machu-picchu-hiram-bingham
“Remembering Col. Fawcett in WWI.” Torquay Museum. Nov. 4, 2021. https://torquaymuseum.org/news/view/remembering-col-fawcett-in-wwi
Ribeiro, Taisa Alves and André Luiz Alves Moreno. “Towards an Archaeology of the Written Culture of Chapada Diamantina-BA: The Case of Manuscript 512.” Garimpus: Journal of Languages, Education and Culture in Chapada Diamantina. Vol. 2, no. 1. 2021. https://www.revistas.uneb.br/garimpus/article/view/8740
“Son of Lost Explorer Says Bones Are Not Fawcett's.” New York Times. Nov. 4, 1951. https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1951/11/04/96221387.html?pageNumber=66
Squires, Cole. “TRANSCRIPTION/TRANSLATION NOTES (Manuscript 512).” Harvard. https://people.math.harvard.edu/~knill/teaching/mathe320_2021/exhibits/manuscript512/translation.pdf
“Sustainable Mato Grosso.” Amazon Fund. https://www.amazonfund.gov.br/en/projeto/Sustainable-Mato-Grosso/
“Swindon Woman Awaits News of Colonel Fawcett.” Swindon Advertiser. April 13, 1932. https://www.newspapers.com/image/1209686028/?match=2&terms=%22percy%20fawcett%22&search-id=667a33c0-fac9-457e-bcf9-349a1d9b7e9f&search-rank=2
“Why do they hide?” Survival International. https://www.survivalinternational.org/articles/3104-why-do-they-hide

 

Fawcett&rsquo;s life has invited controversy and speculation, because he was a man who did a mix of great and shady things. Part one covers his early life, marriage, military service, and early visits to South America.
Research:
<ul>
<li>Biello, David. &ldquo;Ancient Amazon Actually Highly Urbanized.&rdquo; Scientific American. August 28, 2008.</li>
<li>&ldquo;The Brazilian Indigenous People.&rdquo; Survival International. https://www.survivalinternational.org/peoples/brazilian</li>
<li>Britannica Editors. "Mato Grosso".&nbsp;Encyclopedia Britannica, 10 Jan. 2026, https://www.britannica.com/place/Mato-Grosso</li>
<li>Canal-Soler, Jordi. &ldquo;The man who died searching for the Lost City of Z.&rdquo; National geographic. June 13, 2024. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/percy-fawcett-search-lost-city-of-z</li>
<li>Fawcett, Lt-Col P.H. &ldquo;Exploration Fawcett.&rdquo; Hutchinson &amp; Co. London. 1953.</li>
<li>&ldquo;Fawcett&rsquo;s Bones Believed Found; Explorer Lost in Brazil Jungle in &rsquo;25.&rdquo; New York Times. April 4, 1951. https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1951/04/04/82103136.pdf?pdf_redirect=true&amp;ip=0</li>
<li>&ldquo;Fawcett Mystery Unsolved.&rdquo; New York Times. Nov. 5, 1951. https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1951/11/05/81775504.pdf?pdf_redirect=true&amp;ip=0</li>
<li>Grann, David. &ldquo;The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon.&rdquo; Doubleday. 2009.</li>
<li>&ldquo;Hidden City Is the Goal.&rdquo; Los Angeles Times. Jan 12, 1925. https://www.newspapers.com/image/380427463/</li>
<li>Hutchison, Percy. &ldquo;Hunting for Lost Explorers in the Jungles of Brazil.&rdquo; New York Times. Jan. 26, 1930. https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1930/01/26/96041140.pdf?pdf_redirect=true&amp;ip=0</li>
<li>Moutinho, Sofia. &ldquo;A Foundation of Trust.&rdquo; Science. Nov. 6, 2025. https://www.science.org/content/article/unearth-their-past-amazonian-people-turn-language-white-men-understand</li>
<li>&ldquo;'Lost' report exposes Brazilian Indian genocide.&rdquo; Survival International. April 25, 2013. https://www.survivalinternational.org/news/9191</li>
<li>&ldquo;On Colonel Fawcett&rsquo;s Train in Unknown Brazil by Air and River.&rdquo; Illustrated London News. Sep 10, 1932. https://www.newspapers.com/image/1143308620/?match=2&amp;terms=%22Vincenzo%20Petrullo%22&amp;search-id=72603589-1171-4291-b93b-9c5eeffb7d90&amp;search-rank=1</li>
<li>&ldquo;Percy Fawcett.&rdquo; Spike Island. https://www.spikeislandcork.ie/percy-fawcett/</li>
<li>&ldquo;Lieutenant Colonel Percy Harrison Fawcett DSO, (MiD).&rdquo; Tiegnmouth &amp; Shaldon Remembers WW1. Teign Heritage. https://www.teignheritageworldwar.org.uk/index.php/lieutenant-colonel-percy-harrison-fawcett</li>
<li>Pezzati, Alessandro. "The Lost Explorer."&nbsp;Expedition Magazine59, no. 2. September, 2017. https://www.penn.museum/sites/expedition/the-lost-explorer/</li>
<li>Potts, Mary Anne. &ldquo;Finding Machu Picchu: A Look at Explorer Hiram Bingham, A Real-Life Indiana Jones.&rdquo; National Geographic. May 26, 2010. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/article/machu-picchu-hiram-bingham</li>
<li>&ldquo;Remembering Col. Fawcett in WWI.&rdquo; Torquay Museum. Nov. 4, 2021. https://torquaymuseum.org/news/view/remembering-col-fawcett-in-wwi</li>
<li>Ribeiro, Taisa Alves and Andr&eacute; Luiz Alves Moreno. &ldquo;Towards an Archaeology of the Written Culture of Chapada Diamantina-BA: The Case of Manuscript 512.&rdquo; Garimpus: Journal of Languages, Education and Culture in Chapada Diamantina. Vol. 2, no. 1. 2021. https://www.revistas.uneb.br/garimpus/article/view/8740</li>
<li>&ldquo;Son of Lost Explorer Says Bones Are Not Fawcett's.&rdquo; New York Times. Nov. 4, 1951. https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1951/11/04/96221387.html?pageNumber=66</li>
<li>Squires, Cole. &ldquo;TRANSCRIPTION/TRANSLATION NOTES (Manuscript 512).&rdquo; Harvard. https://people.math.harvard.edu/~knill/teaching/mathe320_2021/exhibits/manuscript512/translation.pdf</li>
<li>&ldquo;Sustainable Mato Grosso.&rdquo; Amazon Fund. https://www.amazonfund.gov.br/en/projeto/Sustainable-Mato-Grosso/</li>
<li>&ldquo;Swindon Woman Awaits News of Colonel Fawcett.&rdquo; Swindon Advertiser. April 13, 1932. https://www.newspapers.com/image/1209686028/?match=2&amp;terms=%22percy%20fawcett%22&amp;search-id=667a33c0-fac9-457e-bcf9-349a1d9b7e9f&amp;search-rank=2</li>
<li>&ldquo;Why do they hide?&rdquo; Survival International. https://www.survivalinternational.org/articles/3104-why-do-they-hide</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;

Fawcett’s life has invited controversy and speculation, because he was a man who did a mix of great and shady things. Part one covers his early life, marriage, military service, and early visits to South America.

Percy Fawcett, Manuscript 512, and a Lost City in the Amazon, Pt. 1

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/9f2834cd-2294-44b2-a0e7-b4b300fb7953/transcript

This 2021 episode covers a period of time when the milk supply in New York was anything but appetizing and wholesome – it was often deadly. But efforts to address the problem were blocked by corrupt officials.

This 2021 episode covers a period of time when the milk supply in New York was anything but appetizing and wholesome &ndash; it was often deadly. But efforts to address the problem were blocked by corrupt officials.

SYMHC Classics: Swill Milk

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/4016d6e6-4a83-48e9-9d7f-b4b1015cc0b8/transcript

Thomas Day’s Quest for the Perfect Wife

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