Life, 1921-04-07 · page 29 of 38
Life — April 7, 1921 — page 29: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is primarily a **product advertisement**, not satire or political commentary. The page promotes Paradise Spring Company's bottled water from Brunswick, Maine. The rhetoric reflects early-20th-century health anxieties: the ad claims public tap water—though appearing clear and pure—actually contains dangerous germs and mineral impurities that harm digestion. It positions Paradise Water as the solution, citing government purity standards and physician endorsements. The image shows a man (likely representing a physician or authority figure) gesturing persuasively while holding what appear to be water glasses. **Context for modern readers**: This reflects pre-FDA regulation marketing when bottled water companies made bold health claims without scientific oversight. The "purity" argument and medical endorsements were common advertising tactics to sell premium bottled water to middle-class consumers concerned about contaminated municipal water supplies—a legitimate concern in that era, though the ad exaggerates Paradise Water's superiority.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
ind tie knew snizing r with ith the ce, the sion. jad_n0 Lined ys and 1 sum- slight- 1y who imself, waiter ind as secret aly re- ors of overn- Do you give any thought to the water you drink? Do you drink only the purest water obtainable? “‘Wait,’’ you say, ‘‘the public water in my home is pure. It must be pure—see how clear it looks—how good it tastes!’” ‘That's just the trouble—much public water looks and tastes pure, hence most people think it is pure. Physicians and other scientific men know that bad water may often be colorless, clear, of brilliant lustre, free from smell or taste, and yet full of germs! Drinking water that comes from lakes or rivers not only contains considerable min- eral salts, but also the soluble elements of animal and vegetable matter. Filtration or other treatment cannot possibly free it from all of these impurities. Such water, therefore, fails to function properly in flushing poisonous wastes from the human system. What Do You Know About Water? What is a really pure water, you ask, and where can I get it? The purest drinking water reported by the United States Gov- ernment is Paradise Water, which is so pure that it contains less than one grain of solid and‘ mineral matter in a gallon of 58,372 grains! Although Paradise Water is not a medici- nal or mineral water, physicians recom- mend its continued use for many ailments where it is hecessary to restore the normal condition of the digestive tract. It is especially beneficial for people past mid- dle life. Paradise is a delightful table water; try drinking six glasses of it daily for a month, and note its buoyant, up-building effect upon your general health. Packed in cases of one dozen quarts, two dozen pints or three dozen half-pints—all full size. .Natural or Carbonated. Write for free booklet, ‘‘The Story of Paradise Spring,’’ and names of dealers who handle Paradise Water in your city. PARADISE SPRING COMPANY, BRUNSWICK, MAINE co PARADISE WATER comicbooks.com