Judge, 1893-12-09 · page 5 of 52
Judge — December 9, 1893 — page 5: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is primarily a **patent medicine advertisement**, not political satire. It promotes Vin Mariani, a French wine tonic containing coca leaf extract, popular in the late 19th century. The celebrity endorsements are genuine testimonials from famous figures: composer Charles Gounod, author Émile Zola, playwright Victorien Sardou, Cardinal Lavigerie, opera singer Coquelin Aîné, and physician Morell Mackenzie. Each praises the tonic's supposed medicinal benefits for fatigue, appetite loss, and general vigor. The humor, if any, is unintentional—modern readers recognize this as absurd medical pseudoscience. The product's coca extract would eventually be removed when cocaine's dangers became apparent. What reads as sincere marketing of a "scientific fountain of youth" now appears as comedic quackery, though Judge's audience would have found such endorsements credible.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
In truth, V M rit CHARLES GOUNOD. EMILE ZOLA writes to Mr. MARIANI, quoting from health inet aN shanaegs is perfect, gives bey To my good friend A, Maniant, beneficent discoverer his recent book, "“Decter Pascal,” Chapter I1.: ay the blues, and is of such excel of that adtairable wine which has so often restored my lent quality, that wh tastes it, might almost strength. «The Elixir of Life, which combats human. desire to be forever debilitated and depressed, thus a debility, the one real cause of every ill—a veritable to have a pretext to drink it, 2 scientific fountain of youth, which, in giving vigor, — health and would, rel, d VICTORIEN SARDOU. 2 health and enerey ‘would create an entirely new and 4 EMILE ZOLA. FOR BODY AND BRAIN Most popularly used tonic stimu: Prescribed by the Medical Profes- lant in Hospitals, Public and sion since 30 years throughout Religious Institutions. VI N MARIAN | Europe and America. Universally praised in all the Over 7,000 written indorsements Medical Journals. MARIANI WINE." from prominent physicians. THE POPULAR FRENCH TONIC Nourishes, Strengthens, Stimulates, Fortifies and fRefreshes the Entire System Fatigued brain and body, loss of appetite, stomach, lung and throat troubles, impoverished blood. As palatable as the choicest old wines. Effect is immediate and lasting. To Monsteur Martant: Your COCA” from Gentlemen: I have much pleasure in stating Strange to say that ‘VIN MARIANI," so ex- America gives to my ** White Fathers,” sons of that I have used the ‘* VIN MARIANI” for many guisite a wine, should also be a medicament, and a Europe, the courage and strength to civilize Asia years, I consider it a valuable stimulant, partic- lelicious one at that, so pleasant to the taste and so and Africa. ularly serviceable in the case of vocalists. beneficial to the entire system. CARDINAL LAVIGERIE. MORELL MACKENZIE, M.D. COQUELIN AINE. SPECIAL CHRISTMAS OFFER. * We will mail, GRATIS, a collection of portraits and autographs of celebrities, VIN MARIANI IS SOLD EVERYWHERE. MARIANI & CO., PARIS: 41 Bd. Haussmann. 6562 WEST 16TH STREET, NEW YORK. LONDON: 239 Oxford Street. 3 comicbooks.com