Judge, 1886-05-15 · page 14 of 16
Judge — May 15, 1886 — page 14: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is primarily **advertising**, not satire or political commentary. It promotes Dr. Pierce's "Favorite Prescription," a patent medicine marketed to women. The advertisements feature **testimonial letters** from women claiming the product cured various ailments—"organic weakness," bed-confinement, back pain, and nervous conditions. The central article, "TREATING THE WRONG DISEASE," argues that family physicians misdiagnose women's complaints, treating symptoms rather than underlying female disorders, and that Dr. Pierce's remedies work where conventional medicine fails. The illustration shows a woman's profile, likely meant to represent a typical female patient. **Historical context**: In the late 19th/early 20th century, patent medicines made sweeping health claims without regulation. Doctors genuinely disagreed about women's ailments; "female weakness" was a common diagnosis. These advertisements exploited both women's real health struggles and medical uncertainty, presenting the product as superior to physicians' care. The page reflects an era of largely unregulated medical marketing.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
confined to my bed for three years, I consider myself in duty bound to you and suffering humanity, to acknowl I was bedridden and troubled terribly with fally since I com menced taking 1." 7 Mrs. F. Oats, of Shumway, Il., writes: When I had A WOMAN'S | used Dr. Pierce's + Favorite Prescription” one week, Tcould walk all over the door-yard, and I could get into a wagon | GRATITUDE. | and ride two miles to seo my neighbors, I had not been | able to walk out in the door-yard for six months. After using the ‘ Favorite Prescription’ two weeks, I rode in a wagon ten miles; my neighbors were all surprised to see me up and going about and helping todo my housework, after doctoring with thirteen of the best physicians we could get—and the last one told my husband that I never would be able to do my housework any more, Iam thankful to my God that I wrote to you, for I had suffered from ‘ Organic Weakness’ until Thad almost given up in despair.” Mrs. F. E. Witcox, Friendship, N. Y., writes: ‘For five TERRIBLE | or six years I had been badly troubled ‘with organic weak- ness and terrible pains across the small of my back and PAIN. [pit of the stomach. | Three bottles of Dr. Pierce's * Favorite Prescription’ acted like a charm, and cured me completely, to my great joy.” Festoring to» to perfect health. been a, great sufferer and vd preat number of C. Davis, Galien, Michigan, writes: “1 MARVELOUS letter, to express my gratitude for Mrs. Davis and myself for the great good which has been accomn- BENEFITS. J plished in her case by the use of your proprietary medicines. When she began to take them, in January last, she could not endure the least jar, could walk but a very few steps at a time, and could stay up only about thirty minutes at atime. Now she not only sits up almost the entire day, but can walk around, cail on her neighbors, two or three blocks away, and not feel any injurious effects at all. When we consider that she had kept her bed the pater part of the time for fourteen months, and would lose repeatedly the advance she had made, her progress now seems marvelous, We had almost lost confidence in medical practitioners, and advertised remedies, but have found in your Dr. Pierce's ‘ Favorite Prescription ’ and ‘ Pellets’ the prop- erties needed, and which we believe will bring about a complete and final recovery.” TREATING THE WRONG DISEASE Many times women call upon their family physicians, one with dyspepsia, another with palpitation, another with backache, or nervousness, another with pain here and the diseases, for which he prescribes his pills an disorder. While the Cured.—Mrs, Saran A. LY, Greenfleld, Adair Co., Iowa, writes: R, V. PIERCE, FAIL, | ¥D. Dear Sir—“Having been ill a number of years, and having tned in vain almost every advertised remedy, as well as having paid nearly a hundred dollars to our local physicians, without benefit, I was finally induced to consult you. You advised me to send for your medicines. I accordingly sent for your “Medical Adviser,” six boitles of your "Golden Medical Discovery,’ ex of ‘our Favorite Prescription,” and six vials of your ‘Pleasant Purgative lets.’ When I first began using these I could not stand on my feet. In ninety ‘days T could walk a mile, and do light housework; and in six months I was completely cured, and my health has remained perfect ever since. I recommend you and your medicines wherever I go, and loan your * Adviser’ to my friends. “Two of our most prominent physicians who have read your great work ‘The People’s Common Sense Medical Adviser,’ pronounce it the best family doctor book they have ever seen.” Organic Weakness Cured.—Mrs. W. H. Pater, Luther, Mich., writes: ‘Ihave taken one bottle of ‘Golden’ Medical Discovery’ and two bottles of ‘ Favorite Perscription,’ the medicines you recommended to me. They have perfectly cured me of flatulency and belching, and the most ter- rible sick headaches. Everybody tells me how much better I look. My sickness was of six years’ standing. For the past year I had failed very rapidly, until I weighed but ninety pounds. My health is most wonder- fully improved since the use of your medicines, I am now able to walk to church. You have done for me what two doctors had faithfully tried to do for the past year, but failed, although they treated me earnestly and patiently for the same failure in health.” Mns. CAROLINE BYERS, corner Duke and Argyle Streets, A THOUSAND | s2atifaz, N. S., writes: “Dn. R. V, Prence, I thank God, and thank you'a thousand times, for the relief that your valuable niedicines, the ‘Favorite Prescription’ and Pel- lets’ have given me. I am perfectly cured of a chronic sickness that had troubled’ me for years. How my heart is overflowed with joy and gratitude towards you, my tongue can er express.” Neuralgia,—Mrs, VioLa Lona, Johnstown, Pa., writes: “ Your ‘Golden Medical Discovery’ and ‘Favorite Prescription’ have cured me of a most | troublesome and long-standing neuralgia, for which our family physician treated me in vain for some time. Immediately on commencing your edicine I could sleep well, which was a thing I had not done for months. Thave since felt like a new person, and am desirous that others should know of the great merits of your remedies.” “Organic Weakness” DOCTORS | Love: physician is ignorant of the cause of suffering, he encourages his practice until large no better, but probably worse for the delay, treatment and other complications m: entirely removed the disease, thereby instituting comfort instead of prolonged misery. e, and in this way they all present alike to themselves and their easy-going and indifferent doctor, separate and distinct potions, not understanding that reality, they are all symptoms caused by some uterine ls are made, when the suffering patient is A proper medicine directed to the cause would perhaps have Mrs. V. H. Perersox, of Lockport, N. Y., had suffered for three years from ‘organic weakness,” was greatly emaciated and * allrun down,” as she expressed it, and Dr. Pierce's “Favorite Prescription” and‘ Golden’ Medical Discovery ” promptly cured her, as they have thousands of “ALL RUN 7 Mrs. E. F, Moroan, of Newcastle, Lincoln Co., Maine, Do says: “* Five years ago I wasa dreadful sufferer from uterine w | troubles, Having exhausted the skill of three physicians I LIKEWISE.” | was greatly discouraged, and so weak I could with difficulty cross the room alone. I'began taking Dr. Pierce's “¢ Favorite Prescription’ and using the local treatment recommended in his ‘Common Sense Medical Adviser, 1 commenced to improve at once. In. three months I was perfectly cured, and have had no trouble since, I wrote a letter to my family’ paper, briefly mentioning how my health had been restored, and offering to send the full particulars to anyone writing me for them, and inclosing a stamped envelope for reply. 1 have received over four hundred letters. In reply, I have described my case and the treatment used, and have earnestly advised them to ‘do likewise.’ From a great many I have received second letters of thanks, stating that they had commenced the use of ‘ Favorite Prescription,’ had gent the $1.50 required for the ‘ Medical Adviser,’ and had applied the local treatment go fully and plainly laid down therein, and were much better already.” Profuse Hemorrhages.—Mary Jane Sm1s, Jamestown, Ark., writes: “T have been taking your “Favorite Prescription,’ and I have received more benefit from its use than from any physician I have tried in seven years. When I first used it, I was not able to be out of bed, from profuse hemor- rhages; in three days after I commenced to improve, and have continued on ever since, until I am now in better health than I have been in years. Mrs. Henry Patterson, of New York City, writes: “1 DOCTORS’ had been under an eminent physician's care for eight MISTAKE, J onths for what he called ‘spinal disease.’ I became + | worse during all this time, when, chancing to see a copy of Dr. Pierce's Medical Adviser at the residence of a friend, I read that part devoted to ‘Woman and her Diseases.’ I soon became convinced that my disease was a uterine affection, which, as you s1¥, caused sympathetic backache, inward fever, nevousness and general debil- it Icommenced the use of Dr. Pierce's ‘Favorite Presoription’ and ‘Golden Medical Discovery,’ applying also the local treatment which he | recommends in the Adviser, and in three months I was well and strong. OVER-WOoRKED WoOomMmM=Ew. Yor “worn-out, re ” “run-down,” debilitated school teachers, milliners, dress makers, general housekeepers, and over-worked women generally, Dr. Pierce's Pavorite Prescription 1s the best of all Dr. Px and Diseases peculiar to women. It is a powerful, by druggists under our posltive guarantee. WOT A“ CURE-ALL.” ST prowmpriy car TEVERY INVALID LADY pate: WORLD’S DISPENSARY MEDICAL should send for “ The Peo} erce’s Parorite Prescription ts not a” Cureall” bat admirably fulfils one great, pa being fenera! as well as uterine, tonke and Rervine, and im It promptly cures nausea and weakness of stomach, Indigestion, bloating. eructations of gas, nervous peta Yor conditions, see wrappers ple’s Common Sense Medical Adviser,” in which over fift Har to women. IIfustrated with BU w ‘and colored th colored ‘and numerous wood cuts, will be sent for a most parts, Route potent Specific for’ all those Chronic Weaknesses rand strength to the whole system. fon, sleeplessness, in elther vex. “Favorite Pre Price Reduced to $1.00 per Bottle, or Fix are devotad to the consideration of lates. © Iv will be sent, post paid. to any address for ‘Cents in postage staitpa aareas, ASSOCIATION, No. 663 Main Street, BUFFALO, N. Y. ‘around cuts comicbooks.com