Pioneering adverts of the West, 1867-1918.
The marvellous Mrs Gunn and her bust-restoring oils, 1917. “No parafine used.”
“Corpulency reduced.” Or at least shifted uphill. 1906.
Smith’s Patent Water Closet, 1871.
The Magnetic Shield sounds promising too. For all those aches, pains and bilious complaints.
Via Coudal.
“Busts restored… filled to normal proportions. Mrs Gunn’s process of filling consists of using natural oils the body will not absorb. It produces perfect natural flesh. Results are immediate.”
Was Mrs Gunn in league with the devil?
For some reason I picture well-to-do ladies coughing up ectoplasm as a breakthrough in weight loss.
Luckily, the modern consumer is much, much cannier…
https://www.buynecklineslimmer.com/3/?mid=570366
I need a magnetic throat shield for my glandular swelling.
And some magnetic boots for those sweaty feet. 🙂
The second of Mr Smith’s water closets looks like an ancestor of the Daleks. No wonder they hate us.
Dr Pierce’s Galvanic Chain Belt with its optional Electrical Suspensary attachment for men looks positively kinky:
http://content.lib.washington.edu/cdm4/item_viewer.php?CISOROOT=/advert&CISOPTR=254&CISOBOX=1&REC=13
Heh. The first two are from my home town, Seattle.
“Dr Pierce’s Galvanic Chain Belt…”
And it not only cures rheumatism, catarrh and constipation, but “female weakness” too. It’s a wonder of the age. Thank goodness for the Magnetic Elastic Truss Company.
I love how we chuckle at these unscientific relics.
Magnetic truss? Please, it’s clearly balderdash. Not like my Q-Ray bracelet, it’s chock full of science.
I must get one of those vests. I’ve always wanted a magnetic cleavage.
The more things change, etc. Looking at that ‘neckline slimmer’ ad, and the alarming spring-system involved, reminded me of that story about how composer and piano virtuouso, Robert Schumann, permanently injured his hand by attempting to stretch his fingers/exercise them with a mechanical device.
A sovereign specific without the use of Parafine? That smacks of the vain and empty work of the Mesmerists, Sir. Personally I recommend Radioparafine, the healthful emanations of which have been attested to by Herr Roentgen and Mme Curie themselves.