An advertisement for a patent medicine, from a collection of such images at the Ephemera Assemblyman blog (via the ever-interesting Morbid Anatomy).
The caption on the advertisement reads as follows: "Nancy Linton: A faithful representation of her actual appearance & condition after having been cured by the use of Swann's Panacea."
It took me a while to realize the gist of this picture, but what I found online about it suggests that the picture is showing that the medicine can keep your face and hands looking "ok", while the rest of your body is past the point of no return. Remember that women did not show bare arms or legs in the mid 19th century. Swaim's supposedly had mercury, which had the short term effect of improving appearances.
ReplyDeleteAt least I am satisfied that there is no accompanying picture that is the actual "after" picture.
From the deformation of her nose, I wonder if the disease in question was syphilis.
ReplyDelete