13 Odd and Obsolete Occupations

Leech collector, cigarette girl, ornamental hermit—no, those aren’t obscure ‘90s band names. They’re all actual jobs from the past that have become obsolete.

Leech collectors, as the name implies, gathered leeches for medicinal purposes by wading into leech-infested waters and allowing the parasites to latch onto their skin. Depending on how well the work was going, these people risked fatigue from blood loss.

In the 1930s and 1940s, one could acquire cigarettes from cigarette girls—hostesses whose sole job was to peddle tobacco at nightclubs, bars, and other establishments.

Ornamental hermits, or garden hermits, were employees of an estate who lived in quaint, little shelters known as hermitages and puttered around for the amusement of property owners and their visitors.

History is full of jobs that are no longer needed due to technology, cultural advances, and everything in between. On this episode of The List Show, we’re exploring the strangest and most interesting occupations of yesteryear.

Subscribe to Mental Floss on YouTube for new videos every week.