Throw out the baby with the bathwater

Posted by Lexi on May 04, 2000

In Reply to: Throw out the baby with the bathwater posted by jane on April 25, 2000

: I would like to know the origin of this phrase. I have looked everywhere and found only the meaning. Who said it first, and when?
: This is for a student paper. Thanks.

Apparently around the turn of the century:

Baths consisted of a big tub filled with hot water.
The man of the house had the privilege of the nice
clean water, then all the other sons and men, then
the women and finally the children. Last of all
the babies. By then the water was so dirty you
could actually lose someone in it, hence the
saying, "Don't throw the baby out with the bath
water."