Life, 1927-07-14 · page 33 of 40
Life — July 14, 1927 — page 33: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a **Listerine advertisement**, not a political cartoon. The page uses social satire to sell mouthwash by positioning dandruff as a moral failing rather than a medical condition. The image shows two women in 1920s dress; the woman on the left (smiling) is gossiping about the woman on the right, saying "My dear, he's terrible—" The implication is that the man in question has dandruff, presented as a social disgrace so severe it warrants harsh judgment. The ad's rhetoric treats dandruff as "an unpardonable sin" and "wilful offense"—deliberately moralizing a scalp condition to shame readers into buying the product. This reflects early 20th-century advertising's strategy of creating anxiety about personal hygiene to drive consumption. For modern readers, the stark contrast is notable: today dandruff is recognized as a common, largely harmless condition, while the ad treats it as a character flaw worthy of social ostracism.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Life Now dandruff is inexcusable Today dandruff is an unpardonable sin. It is unpardonable because it is disgusting and because, being so easy to check, its presence can only be considered a wilful offense. Many things are good for dandruff, but no treatment is so pleasant and so effective as Listerine, the safe antiseptic. Thousands of letters testify to that. You simply douse it on full strengthand massage thoroughly. Almost immediately you note im- provement. Keep it up several days systematically. We'll wager LIST he’s terrible—” f 7 — final results will delight you. Even stubborn cases usually yield to this pleasant method. And every time you apply it, Listerine leaves your head with that cool, clean feel- ing which is so refreshing. Furthermore, your hair seems soft and so easy to part and dress. If you have any evidence of loose dandruff (epithelial debris) go after it with Listerine at once before a chronic condition de- velops. Lambert Pharmacal Company, St. Louis, Mo. —and dandruff simply do not get along together TE 7 WERE WA comicbooks.com