Madam Porter's Cough Balsam


Rich and Poor Use Madam Porter's Cough Balsam. Madam Porter's Cough Balsam claims to cure or relieve coughs and other ailments of the throat and lungs. Visual motif: Children receiving this medicine in both rich and poor homes. Claimed to "cure and relieve coughs, colds, croup, whooping cough, asthma, and all affections of the throat and lungs. A purely vegetable expectorant; not a violent remedy; and very agreeable to the taste." Patent medicines are compounds promoted and sold as medical cures that do not work as promoted. "Patent medicine" is a misnomer since in most cases, although products might be trademarked, they are not patented. The promotion of patent medicines was one of the first major products highlighted by the advertising industry, and many advertising and sales techniques were pioneered by patent medicine promoters. Some makers promised narcotic free concoctions because, even though consumption of opiates were commonplace, there were still warnings, in newspapers and novels, about their effects. Consumers were easily duped by a dose of "vegetable compound" because it did not contain alcohol, morphine or cocaine.


Size: 4350px × 2441px
Photo credit: © Photo Researchers / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

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