Life, 1924-02-07 · page 39 of 40
Life — February 7, 1924 — page 39: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is primarily a **patent medicine advertisement**, not satire or cartoon content. It's a full-page ad for "Van Ess Liquid Scalp Massage," a hair-loss treatment marketed with pseudo-scientific claims typical of early 20th-century quack medicine. **Key claims made:** - Baldness is caused by "infected Sebum" (scalp infection) - The product removes this infection and regrows hair - Guarantees new hair in 90 days or money back - Claims dermatologists charge $300 for the same treatment **The "satire" (if any) is unintentional:** The ad uses exaggerated statistics ("4 men in 7 bald at 40," "91% needlessly" bald) and invokes fake scientific authority to sell an ineffective product—exactly the kind of false advertising that would later be regulated. Modern readers would recognize this as a classic example of **snake oil marketing**, exploiting male insecurity about hair loss with dubious remedies and money-back guarantees designed to seem trustworthy.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
ees oe Written Guarantee to grow hair this | vscine couron new way—or money refunded dross money-back guarantee, nt, which, under actual test, s in 100, rarity. For hair roots seldom die in early stages. And this method revives them. Test it yourself at our risk. Hair Roots Rarely Die Records show 4 men in 7 are bald, of partially b at40. Modern Proves only abc oh i n of infection—of an infectious sSebu ected Sebum always grow. Theh is true in about 90% of all cases of baldness. roots are gen falling hair or aches the roots. It makes hair blic has often been deceived. So ‘ou take no chance of loss. This new method grow. But the px We guarantee it. New Hair or No Money We make our guarantee without reservation—with- out It is absolute. We guarantee to stop falling hair, We guarantee to grow new hair in 90 days. Sometimes much sooner. But usually this 3 les of Van Ess. If we treatment requires abou fa your money back wi Note that yourown dru each 3-bottle purchase. T It is safe for us to guarantee the tre experiments of years prove it effective on 91 heads in 100, Foremost auth rities approve it. World noted dermatologists now employ it—some charge as much as $300.00 for r the same basic treatment. We offer it, in correct form for home use, at the price of an ordinary “tonic.” The Infected Sebum % of all hair troubles are traced to infected About 9 f Bald at 40 4 Men in 7 ) yet 91% needlessly Science discovers falling hair most always due to simple infection (Sebum). Now usually overcomes it. ns.at the roots of the hair, ion is to supply the hair escalp. It for bacteria, It clings to hair lodges in hair fol nd plugs them. art to feed upon the soley excretion, Or, when it docs not kill the roots, Hence w it, new hair grows. This is scientific fact authorities will tell you so, You must remove the infected Sebum, Now We Remove It For years, science exp nted to combat infect Sebum. Finally 290% effe Now we have er 4 called Van Ess Liquid § It is applied a new way—a sc illustration at r ’ of the hair. It combats m an aves it. \ Results are a hair. It grows new hair. We urge you to try this new way ments we make are azi remember, we back th There is a gu Read it first before you b that we let you be the judge. Then note the results yc condition of your scalp—t Look in your mir Note This New Way —It Massages the Treatment j Directly to the Follictes of the Hair Go today to 3-bo' not supply yo for 3b i r Or by mail—if your $1.50 for a antee. Send n Orders from outsid Aca the money order. One & LABORATORIES, INC, 85 East Kinzie Street, Chicago, Ill. --- ~~ - = VAN ESS LABORATORIES SSE. Kinzie Street Chics Cp Sute comicbooks.com