Life, 1924-11-06 · page 36 of 40
Life — November 6, 1924 — page 36: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page combines **health advertisement** with **satirical social commentary**. The main feature advertises Paul Von Boeckmann's "Nerve Force" book, claiming modern life's high pressure is "wrecking THE NERVES of mankind." Testimonials describe anxiety, digestive problems, and heart trouble—conditions now recognized as stress-related but then attributed to "nerve exhaustion," a popular diagnosis of the era. The satire appears in **"The Business Discussion"** and **"Save and Save and Save"** sections. The former mocks a businessman's tedious investment pitch while the narrator escapes into contemplating carpet patterns and flower symbolism—suggesting even intellectual distraction beats listening to capitalist schemes. The latter satirizes Professor Blotter's absurd "thrift" campaigns (feeding ground glass to cows, reusing razor blades), culminating in his investigation of wedding announcement waste. The humor lies in treating penny-pinching as almost religious zealotry during an era of economic consciousness. Together, these pieces suggest modern life creates psychological strain, yet the proposed solutions (nerve tonics, extreme penny-pinching) are equally neurotic.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
NERVE STRAIN The high pressure, mile-a-minute life of today, with its mental strain, worry, anx- iety, grief and trouble, is WRECKING THE NERVES of mankind. This applies especially to the people with highly active brains and sensitive nerves. Have your Nerves stood the strain? Read “Nerve Force,” a 64-page book on the care of the nerves. This book is a startling revelation to people with sensi- tive or deranged nerves. It has aided many thousands to gain control of their nerves and build up their Nerve Force. Price 25c postpaid. (Coin or stamps). on Ae hs 3B) PAUL VON BOECKMANN Author of Nerve Force and various other books Qn Health, Psychology. Hreathing, Hygiene and Rindred subjects, many of which hare been trans- lated into foreign languages. The Business Discussion “I TELL you,” he continued, “it's th soundest proposition in the world. Cap italized at eighty-three million, and yielding nine and a half per cent. Why it's the greatest scheme ever developed And on and on he rambled. But I was studying the recurring pattern in the design of the carpet the heavy Persian carpet, near the fire place. It was a curious pattern, depict ing a series of variegated flowers i full bloom, woven in grotesque huc and shades. A fascinating subject—th language of plants—I thought to my self, and I began to reflect upon th countless symbols they suggested. Ther was the jasmine that stood for amiabil ity, and the acacia, for elegance. There was the hyacinth for friendship, and What Readers of ‘‘Nerve Force’’ Say: the elm for dignity. There were th “+I have gained 12 pounds since reading your book. and I feel so energetic. I had about given up hope of ever finding the cause of my low weight.” A physician says: “ Your book ts the most sensible and valuable work T have ever read on the prevention ™ Reading your book has stopped that dreadful feeling of FEAR which par- alyzed my stomach and digestion.” “Your book did more for me for indi gestion than two courses In dieting.” “My heart ts now regular again and my nerves are One. I thought I had heart trouble, but it was simply a case “The advice given tn your book on re- laxation and calming of nerves has sleared my brain, Before 1 was halt dizzy all the time!” “have been treated by a number of nerve specialisia, and have traveled from country to country in an en- deavor to restore my nerves to normal, of neurasthenta. 1 am recommend- ing your book to my patients.” of abused nerves. I have reread your book at least ten times.” ‘Your little book has done more for me than all other methods combined.” Write to Paul Von Boeckmann, Studio 271, 110 W. 40th St., N.Y. C. Save and Save and Save Tue Thrift Weeks being held every- where have been so much meat to Pro- fessor Blotter. If he has not been off addressing a community on “New Uses for Old Razor Blades,” he has organ- ized campaigns to pick up some of the Shredded Wheat Biscuits and Excelsior Fountain Pens which advertising men have been laying end-to-end all over the country, and start using them over again. Feeding ground glass to cows so that they would give their milk in bottles was just one of his many valu- able contributions to the national saving movement. HAVE THAT MAOE-TO-ORDER LOOK TEX DOLLARS FOR MOST STYLES Perhaps his most original endeavor in the cause of thrift was his investi- gation of the Wedding Announcement situation. Professor Blotter points out in his statistical report that if the superfluous paper consumed in tissue linings, extra envelopes and spare pages of formal notifications of matrimony were laid in the shape of a great pyra- mid, it would be of no more use to anybody than if it had been left as it was. “In accordance with the ideals of Thrift,” said Blotter, “I have invented a Wedding Announcement in which only three successive envelopes are in- serted one inside another, and but one ream of tissue paper is employed in the entire affair. With this great sav- ing I find that fully three times as many Wedding Announcements can be printed—or even engraved—which, of course, means three times as many Weddings.” Unfortunately, as I pointed out to the Professor, this last rather spoils the plan so far as Thrift Week is con- cerned. C,H. F. Alimentary Motuer: And how far did you hike to-day? Girt Scout Daucuter: Two sodas, a bag of peanuts, a ham sandwich, a bar of chocolate, and a package of gum. The Football Number of Lire will be out next week. With the season at its crest, don’t miss this opportunity to know what's what about the Great Grid Game. dahlia for instability, the marigold fo grief, the lilac for humility, the tube rose for dangerous pleasures, the pink for boldness, the daisy for innocencc the fox-glove for insincerity, the nar cissus for egoism, the peony for bash fulness. “Why an absolutely certai thing,” the salesman cried, and, hazily I murmured, “I am sure it is.” Bi all the time I was trying to recall th. name of that flower that symbolize: sleep. Cc. GS. ‘The See en air—the superb links—the neas-by-ness of everything—they all combine to fill you with golf energy and solf enthusiasm. The new Cascades Golf Course is now open for play. comicbooks.com