Miscellaneous Medical Advertisements

and Reports

“CANCER CURED!  Without the use of the knife.  Also all skin diseases treated.  Address  O.A. HOOPER, Pineville, Rapides Parish, La.”

Crowley Signal, March 10, 1888

“Cure Your Malaria.  Take Oxidine.  It will stop your chills and fever.  It will make you well and strong again.  If you live in a malarial country take it once a week.  Not only will it ward off malaria, but it is an excellent tonic and appetizer.  Builds you up, makes your blood red, and fills you full of life.  Oxidine is guaranteed.  Manufactured by the BEHRENS DRUG CO., of Waco, Texas.  Remember OXIDINE RUNS CHILLS AWAY” 

Lafayette Daily Advertiser, October 3, 1918.

“Lost 20 lbs. OF FAT in Just 4 Weeks

A St. Louis, Mo., lady wrote: ‘I’m only 28 years old and weighed 170 pounds, until taking one box of your Kruschen Salts just 4 weeks ago.  I now weigh 150 lbs.  I also have more energy and furthermore I’ve never had a hungry moment.

Fat folks should take one half teaspoon of Kruschen Salts in a glass of hot water every morning before breakfast—a quarter pound jar lasts 4 weeks—you can get Kruschen at any drug store in America.  If not joyfully satisfied after the first bottle—money back.”

Advertisement, unidentified Louisiana newspaper, ca. 1903.

“TYPHOID, SCARLET AND YELLOW FEVERS, MEASLES, DIPTHERIA, SMALL-POX, CHOLERA, ETC.—Darbys [sic] Prophaylactic Fluid will destroy the infection of all fevers and contagious and infectious diseases.  Will keep the atmosphere of any sick-room pure and wholesome, absorbing and destroying unhealthy effluvia and contagion.  Will neutralize any bad smell whatever, not by disguising it, but by destroying it.  Use Darbys [sic] Prophylactic Fluid in every sick-room.”

Crowley Signal, May 12, 1888.

 “Surely you cannot wish to remain sick and discouraged, exhausted with each day’s work.  If you have derangement of the feminine organism try Lydia E. Pinkham’s Vegetable compound.” 

Opelousas Clarion, February 14, 1903.

“We Eat Malta-Vita: The Perfect Food for Brain and Muscle.  The Malta-Vita Pure Food Co., Battle Creek, Michigan.” 

Opelousas Clarion, February 21, 1903.

“What would you give to be rid of those pimples and blackheads, that sallow complexion, those lusterless eyes?  No doubt you would give 50 cents to be cured of Constipations, liver troubles, indigestion, and dyspepsia!  Get rid of these troubles and your complexion will clear up like an April day after a shower.  Take Dr. Caldwell’s Syrup Pepsin.”

Opelousas Clarion, February 21, 1903.

"HEALTH NURSE URGES FIGHT.  MISS DRESSER SAYS FLIES CARRY DISEASES AND SHOULD BE KILLED.—For years many diseases seemed to just 'break out' in a given locality; the causes for them were not altogether known, although many theories were maintained.  Now, at last, it seems that doctors and scientists have decided that many diseases, such as typhoid fever, tuberculosis, dysentery, and more obscure diseases of the stomach and bowels are caused by contact with the different germs thrown off by persons suffering with these special diseases."

Crowley Signal, June 18, 1921.

            "There is a quarantine guard on each road leading into town, and a guard on the railroad trains.  Carlton Ogden has charge of the route between Opelousas and Lafayette, and H. D. Littell between Opelousas and Cheneyville."

Opelousas Courier, July 29, 1905.

            Owners of the Advertiser "steadfastly refuse[d]" to lend "the aid of the advertising columns of this paper for extending the harmful influence of the liquor traffic and the quack medicine trade . . . "  Earlier pages of paper were filled with them, particularly the "quack medicine" ads.

Lafayette Advertiser, March 15, 1905.

Advised by Surgeon General Blue by wire this morning that the Public Health Service will mobilize with the aid of volunteer medical service corps all outside medical aid required in combating present influenza epidemic and that the Red Cross, upon specific request fro this service, will mobilize nursing personnel and furnish necessary emergency hospital supplies, which cannot be obtained otherwise.  All city and parish health officers must make appeal for aid through the State Health Department, which in turn will make request of the Surgeon General  of the public health service whenever local needs require.  If necessary public health service will establish district officers to cooperate with state officials in distribution of medical and nursing personnel.

OSCAR DOWLING

Lafayette Daily Advertiser, October 5, 1918.

“The late epidemic at Fausse Point[e] was terribly severe.  Out of two hundred and ninety-six inhabitants, ninety-four died in less than three months.  But the mortality did not result so much from the fever as from poverty and want of nurses and medical aid, and suitable rooms and beds for the sick.  Many were from the overflowed regions, and lived in rough sugar houses, cabins and outhouses made of pieux.  Their food in most instances was bad, and it was almost impossible to get physicians and nurses.  Had they been properly attended to probably not more than fifteen or twenty deaths would have occurred.”

Franklin Planters’ Banner, December 28, 1867.

“Health in St. Mary.

Those at a distance who think this a sickly country, will be surprised to learn that there has not been a single death among the young ladies of this parish from diseases of the climate, in four years.  One young lady died by a fall from a horse, another from yellow fever.  No other young ladies have died of any disease since the war.  How many persons of this class there are in St. Mary we do not know, but there [are] a great many more young ladies than young men.  There are about a thousand registered white voters in the parish.  IF we had female suffrage we could come to a more definite conclusion in regard to the number of young ladies in the parish—another argument for the benefit of strong minded women!

While in St. Landry last month, we mentioned the above fact in regard to health in St. Mary to some of the oldest, and most intelligent citizens in that parish so famed for the salubrity of its climate, and they stated that so far as they were informed, or could recollect, the same facts hold good in St. Landry. In what other portion of the United States can we find so favorable female health statistics?”

Franklin Planters’ Banner, September 8, 1869.

“Our Native Herbs.

The Great Blood Purifier, Kidney and Liver Regulator, and contains a printed guarantee to refund its cost in any case where the medicine fails to benefit.  It is also a Yellow Fever Preventive.  200 days treatment for $1.00.  Sold only by

JULES P. PITRE, Agent, Opelousas, La.” Opelousas Clarion, September 22, 1900.

“TO THE PUBLIC:

Mosquito Bites Rendered Harmless

By the use of Dr. G.H.

TICHENOR’S ANTISEPTIC

Rub in well”

            From the New Orleans Picayune, 1905.  Quoted in Jo Ann Carrigan, The Saffron Scourge: A History of Yellow Fever in Louisiana, 1796-1905 (Lafayette, La.: Center for Louisiana Studies at University of Southwestern Louisiana, 1994.), 321.