Life — September 6, 1917 — page 5: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis This is a **product advertisement**, not a political cartoon or satirical content. The ad promotes Nujol, a laxative made by Standard Oil Company (New Jersey), based in Bayonne. The headline "Back from the Country and Feeling Fine" uses humor to address a common problem: constipation from sedentary desk work after vacation. The advertisement's appeal is straightforward—it markets Nujol as a gentle, non-irritating solution to constipation caused by lifestyle changes (lack of exercise, irregular meals). The ad emphasizes that Nujol is "harmless," "neither fattening nor heating," and sold only in sealed bottles to prevent imitations. This reflects early 20th-century advertising that openly discussed bodily functions and promoted patent medicines with broad health claims—practices later restricted by FDA regulations.