Life, 1884-10-09 · page 15 of 16
Life — October 9, 1884 — page 15: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is primarily **advertising**, not political satire. The dominant content is a promotional campaign for **Verve**, a patent medicine claiming to cure insomnia. The small cartoon at top-left shows two cherubic figures: one claiming "I am horribly nervous—scarcely get a wink of sleep," the other responding "I was precisely that way myself before I took Verve." This is a simple before/after testimonial device. The lengthy text below makes expansive health claims: Verve allegedly cures insomnia caused by "Nervous Exhaustion" from overwork and worry. Crucially, it advertises itself as superior to dangerous alternatives—opium, morphine, chloral, and bromides—whose "continued use is fatal." The product targets professionals: merchants, clergymen, lawyers, and authors. The page also advertises diamonds, pens, candy, and other products typical of 1880s magazines. The Verve depot address in New York is prominently listed. This reflects the era's unregulated patent medicine market, where extravagant health claims were standard advertising practice.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
‘LIFE: DIAMONDS. |CANDY 823 box, in the world, put up to handsoene boxes. All strictly pure. Suitable Yor presents. Try it once. M 5 Carefully mofched dated ved Old Mine Bril | ‘Address, C.F.GUNTHER, Confectioner. A large assortment of Engagement Rings, from | 78 Maptson Sr., Cuicaco, $15 to $1,000, Lace Pins, $10 up. Bracelets, $15 up. Collar Buttons, $5 up. Studs, $10 up. Diamonds Remounted in latest styles. Designs sent to any address. J. H. JOHNSTON, 150 Bowery. J am horribly ner- 2 was precisely that |) rits—searcely get a way myself before 1 took Verve, NSOMNIA, the great curse of the Ameri- can people, is the direct result of Nervous Exhaustion, consequent upon Overwork, LE mOX. {= weg VEIN PER we Coy Worry, and Mental Strain, The common recourse of the sufferer, is to Opium, Mor- phine, Chloral, Bromides and other drugs whose continued use is fatal. VERVE. CONTAINS none of these substances. It ~ is purely vegetable, acts directly upon Easy Action edizm Peis: the exhausted nerve centres, and by its tonic action, produces a healthful, natural sleep, | with no after effects. Two or three doses have cured permanently cases of Insomnia, of | Favour Faucon.! ForGeneral se. eat Pox. THE LENOX PENS are the product of long and patient experiment by the most skillful artisans with the best material, . . : - 7 | The Series is complete in Twelve Numbers, from which every writer can select months’ standing. In Neuralgia, Nervous Headache and the loss of energy, following T H E B E S a P E N 5 5 ran a shi Id by Stationers ; t by mail, in gross boxes, postpaid, for overwork or continued excitement, it is of | Fet bit or her peculiar style of penmanship. Sol d by Stationers; or sent by gross postp: inestimable: v, M ‘ %e% For the convenience of thore who wish to test all the numbers of the series, we will send gross boxes inestimable value. Merchants and Business | o/ assorted pens, containing twelve fi number, for the regular gross price of $1.00, or one of each num. ~ ber s12 pens) for 10 cents. men, Clergymen, Lawyers, Authors, and all Mann persons subject to long-continued mental | TAINTOR BROS., MERRILL & co., labor, will find natural sleep easily at hand 18 and 20 Astor Place, New York City. with this remedy in their possession. Its con- | ———-———— se = = tinued use is not necessary. In most cases ‘ LI FE - FOR 1883 AND 1884. six or cight doses will restore tone to the nervous system and enable the sufferer to VOLS. I, Il. ann III. slee : cep without further treatment. Vol. I., Jan. to June, 1883, inclusive; Vol. Il, July to December, 1883, inclusive ; Vol, IIT., Jan. to June, 1884, inclusive, durably bound, for sale at the publication office. Price, postage free, Vol. I., $10.00 ; direct, enclosing $1, from the Vol. II., $5.00; Vol. III., $5.co. To subscribers returning a complete set of Vol. II, or Vol. III., that Volume will be forwarded for $2.50. Address, Office of LIFE, 1155 Broadway, New York. DO YOU SLEEP? IF | NOT, ORDER Oakley's Extract—Violett e. “ ” FROM YOUR New York. Satleys Guece.Cglorees, = VERVE DRUGGIST. SoLP AGENTS FOR U.S. AND CANADA. Oakley's Flower Extract Soap— Jacque Roses." | WARICOCELE Griitaccts,, arbunel exe, Order only from reliable druggists, or VERVE DEPOT, 65 West 33rd Street,