Life, 1897-02-11 · page 20 of 20
Life — February 11, 1897 — page 20: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is primarily an **advertisement**, not satire. The page uses the Mayflower ship and patriotic imagery to promote Pabst Malt Extract as a health tonic for mothers and infants. The central claim: a young mother credits her robust health and her 19-month-old baby's exceptional development (32 pounds) to Pabst Malt Extract. She describes becoming weak while nursing, recovering through the tonic, losing health when traveling without it, and regaining strength upon resuming use. **Historical context**: In the 1890s, malt extract was marketed as legitimate medical nutrition—not yet understood as ineffective. The advertisement exploits maternal anxiety about childrearing and infant health. The patriotic framing ("Perfection in Brewing is Reached in America") appeals to nationalist pride while positioning Milwaukee beer byproducts as essential maternal medicine. By modern standards, this represents dubious health claims marketed directly to vulnerable mothers—practices now regulated by the FDA.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
February 11, 189, PERFECTION IN BREWING IS REACHED, ENDAMERICA | » MILWAUKEE | BEER IS FAMOU PABST HAS. |, MADE ITSO 4. MOTHERS’ MILK. A young mother, flushed with perfect health and strength, said as she exhibited, with pride her baby, “I must confess that my preseat health and the almost phe- nomenal development and good health of baby are due to the use of PABST MALT EXTRACT, The “Best” Tonic. The necessity of feeding the child was such a tax on me at first that I became nervous, weak and exhausted. “Best” Tonic was recommended. I took it and began to build at once. Baby began to show the effects within a week. I con- tinuedits use for months, until I went out into the country and neglected to take my tonic with me. I lost fifteen pounds insix weeks and could scarcely feed baby. Since returning, some three weeks ago, I have again been taking “Best”? Tonic. I have gained six pounds and the little one is again progressing. Just think, he is nineteen months old, weighs 32. pounds, andI have not weaned him yet.” Let every mother apply this to her own experience and at least give The “Best” Tonic a trial. Ifnot for her own sake, for that of her child. Let her pro- vide for baby as nature says every moth- er should, “Best” Tonic at Drugyists 25.