Life, 1910-10-06 · page 60 of 60
Life — October 6, 1910 — page 60: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a **product advertisement**, not satire or political commentary. The page promotes the "Pro-phy-lactic" toothbrush, manufactured by Florence Mfg. Co. in Massachusetts. The ad uses comparison diagrams to claim superiority over ordinary brushes: the Pro-phy-lactic allegedly reaches *between* teeth through its curved handle and specially-arranged bristles, while regular brushes merely brush surfaces. This addresses a genuine dental concern—interdental cleaning—that wasn't widely understood then. The marketing emphasizes scientific design, sterility (packed in individual yellow boxes), a money-back guarantee, and three bristle options. It closes with an offer for a free "Tooth Truths" booklet to educate consumers about dental hygiene. This reflects early 20th-century advertising's growing emphasis on scientific claims and consumer education to differentiate products in an emerging market.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Cleans the teeth- Not merely brushe Between the teeth is where uncleanliness creeps in. Between the teeth is where decay starts; and unless a brush cleans befween the teeth it does not clean them at all. It only “brushes’’ them. The Pro-phy-lac-tic Brush actually gets between and : around the teeth and cleans them in a scientific way. The ordinary aN curved handle gives perfect access to all parts of the mouth; tooth brush the tufted bristles are so shaped and arranged that they reach every depression and crevice, no matler where it is. merely brushes The flat-faced brush that merely ‘‘brushes”’ the surfaces ‘the | surfaces does not produce Pro-phy-lac-tic cleanliness, and never will. ee Confirm this by asking your dentist. You can hang up the Pro-phy-lac-tic; it dries quickly; absolutely sanitary. Every Pro-phy-lac-tic is Fully Guaranteed. If Defective We will Replace it Each sterilized and packed in an individual yellow box which protects against handling. Three bristle textures—soft, medium and hard—in all styles, 25c., 35c., Joc. Sold by druggists and dealers in toilet supplies everywhere. If your dealer does not sell the Pro-phy-lac-tic, wecan supply direct. Send his eR R YC Alway aN SE = ] Packed Send for booklet : er in the “Tooth Truths.” Tells what you J ought to know about Teeth and Tooth Brushes, Ss 5 Yellow Florence Mfg. Co., 187 Pine St., Florence, Mass. Sole makers of Pro-phy-lac-tic Tooth, Hair, Military, Hand and Lather Brushes Good for free magazines” eS aS comicbooks.com