Advertisers have always pitched to people fears. And back in the 1890s, aristocratic ladies and southern belles were supposed to have gotten 'female weakness' - giddy and faint under stress.
But good old Dr. R.V. Pierce sold millions of tonics and elixirs to cure it. His secret ingredient: opium or alcohol.
A good dose of either, in any medicine, will cure pretty much most ailments. For a few hours or so anyway. The $500 reward was a lock.
Pierce sold this cure and lots others in his book "The People's Common Sense Medical Advise." He also ran the Invalid's Hotel and Surgical Institute in Buffalo, NY. As a precursor and mentor to today's infomercial inventors, the good doctor generally used his medicine's as the solution to whatever problem he diagnosed.
Smart man, he sold millions of his potions ilike "vaginal tablets" (to stop leaking) and "Spermatorrhea" (to cure loss of semen without copulation - masturbation).
No doubt today he stands as an inspiration to loads of today's hucksters like Viapren strips .
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A lot like the way Freud used hypnosis to cure "menstrual hysteria" in his patients. Those were good times.
At the same time I'd like to say society has advanced people are still pushing their cure-alls in just fancier packaging.
They don't still sell Spermatorrhea? I know someone who could use a bit of that.
I just wish today's cure-all could still contain opium.
mmmmm sweet opium.
Nothing like a false sence of security to cure female weakness.
Those doctors used more than hypnosis to remedy "female hysteria." Cheeky buggers.
Ah, spermatorrhea. A porn directors dream.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spermatorrhea
This just makes me giggle because Dr.Pierce is the name of a boss of mine that recently fired me.
Dr Pierce is an asshole Zabe.