October 02, 2006

Patent medicine cards. Some of UCLA's collection of patent medicine trade cards have now been digitised - only a sample yet, and searching seems to be the only way of getting at the images, but still worth a go. via
posted by Plegmund 18 years ago
  • The alliteration of "Burdock's Blood Bitters" alone makes me feel a little better!
  • As it happens, a set consisting of this one and four other cards have had me curious for years; the five were in an old volume I bought at a house sale some years ago. Two Owl'd Beats - two owls on a branch drinking from what appear to be tomato cans ... deadbeats, we would say? One of the Owl'd Masters - shows an owl with a book in one clawed foot and a short rod with three thongs, a lash of some sort, and three very small owls, two sharing another book, and a third I suspect to be in disgrace, and glaring head-on at the viewer. The Owl'd Owl'd Story - an adult owl with a huffy exression holds a small blanketted owl, with three other small owls flanking her/him (?) Ye Owl'de Folk's Concert - three adult owls with open beaks, the central one holding a sheet of paper at which it peers, and the other two staring upwards. (My favorite part is that just behind this trio an upright piano also stands, perfectly balanced, on the same slim branch as the owls.
  • I'm not sure what drug I accidentally ingested at breakfast this morning, but I would highly recommend it. Owls! A little girl exposing herself to an aging lesbian! Endless, appropos of nothing Daily Show references! Wild ride, man!
  • ...two owls on a branch... Ah, bernockle, where are you now?
  • This collector's site has some nice ones.
  • Hmm...
  • I think we need Fes to date those speech banners for us.
  • So far, my favorite of the patent medicine entries comes from the card for Parker's Ginger Tonic, where I've highlighted a few gems: Asthma, Colds, Bronchitis, Indigestion, Skin Eruptions, Heart troubles, Female Complaints, Rheumatism, Chills, Malaria, Diarrhoea, Colic, Cramps, Kidney and Liver disorders are prevalent in every home ... Hindercorns. Promptly removes all kinds of Corns, Bunions, Warts, callouses, &c. Hinders their further growth. Stops all pain. Gives no trouble. Ensures comfort to the feet. Makes walking easy. Don't suffer any longer from these painful excresences, but remove them with Hindercorns.
  • Yer Grannie often takes those Carter's Little Liver Pills. But what the BlueHorse household prefers is Mexican Mustang Liniment, for Man and Beast. A listing of ailments that this medicine cured are on the cards back. Included are Spavin Cracks, Screw Worms, Hoof Ail, Swinney, Founders, & Rheumatism. For general use in Families and Stock Yards. And sometimes it's hard to tell the difference around here.
  • *seeths with jealousy at Bees for his luck in finding the Owly cards
  • It's amazing what folk will stuff into their books. Or maybe used as bookmarks. Seed packets. Sunday school cards. Tickets. Programs. Letters and postcards are fairly common. But a ladies embroidered handkerchief? Found a lorgnette once, too, that was the oddest thing, I think..
  • And another one for ye, BlueHorse, Merchant's Gargling Oil ... good for ... diseases incident to man and beast.
  • Of course, Bees. I use it on my pony. Merchant's Gargling Oil is ... good for ... Sore Throat... After all, he's a little hoarse!