Click for full size. There are five of these, so most below the fold.
Singular Effects Of The Universal Vegetable Pills… Charles Jameson Grant, Lithograph coloured. Subject: Proprietary Medicines, James Morison, Morison’s Pills, Vegetable compounds.
Mercury and his Advocates Defeated, or Vegetable Intrenchment. Thomas Rowlandson, Etching coloured, 1789. Subject: Isaac Swainson, Velnos Syrup, Proprietary Medicines.
Mercury was long considered to be the only effective remedy for venereal disease. Those who advocated the use of Mercury were not pleased by Mr. Swainson. You can read the booklet containing directions for use here, and The Internet Archive also has Mr. Swainson’s book: An account of cures by Velnos’ vegetable syrup, in disorders, deriving their origin or malignity from scorbutic impurities, or obstructions in the lymphatic system.
Extraordinary Effects Of The Vegetable Pills On A Tailor… Anonymous, Lithograph, coloured. Subject: Proprietary Remedies, James Morison, Morison’s Pills.
Advice To Costermongers Gratis. Anonymous, Lithograph coloured. Subject: Proprietary Medicines, James Morison, Morison’s Pills.
![The Wonderful Power of the Pills... John Brandard [ca.1835]. Subject: Quacks & Quackery, Drugs, Proprietary Medicines, James Morison, Morison's Pills, College of Medicine.](https://i2.wp.com/freethoughtblogs.com/affinity/files/2018/06/Veg4.jpg?ssl=1)
The Wonderful Power of the Pills… John Brandard [ca.1835]. Subject: Quacks & Quackery, Drugs, Proprietary Medicines, James Morison, Morison’s Pills, College of Medicine.
…the pills were laxatives and could be fatal if taken in the large quantities often recommended. In 1836, John MacKenzie, aged 32, was administered 1,000 pills over 20 days by one of Morison’s agents, and died. In 1837, 12 deaths caused by excessive doses of Morison’s pills were investigated in York. One witness testified to taking 20,000 pills over a two-year period. Cases against Morison continued until 1839, but he escaped punishment as his agents bore the brunt of the accusations.
You can read more about Morison, and see much more artwork on both sides of the vegetable controversy here.
I love these, especially the last one! You selection shows the variable quality of not only the drawers but also the colourists of the prints.
Sometimes you eat your vegetables, other times your vegetables eat you.
Now I have a perfect excuse to avoid salads, but I spent my life getting old so I could say “no” with impunity. Damn it! Kids need to see these!
Marcus:
I don’t think this applies to general vegetables, they must be Proprietary vegetables! Physicians of the day seemed to be much more concerned with medicines being proprietary than anything else.
Jazzlet, I love that one too! How could you not? It is so scathing.
It’s a masterwork, to be sure.
Caine:
I don’t think this applies to general vegetables, they must be Proprietary vegetables!
GMOOOOOO!
Hahahahahaha, you got me there! :D
Whats that with mercury as a cure for everything. I still hear that every once in a while.
Bloody bollocks!
Mercury was used for a very long time to treat the ‘pox’ -- usually that meant syphilis, and way back when, the only way someone knew they had it was when the sores showed up. Mercury would literally burn the sores and pustules, and that was considered to be an effective cure. It was a dreadful fucking treatment, and I can’t imagine painting my bits with effing mercury. Gad.