Demons and the Grim Reaper, starring as ailments in this nineteenth century ad.
This large public domain advertisement is from the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division. The ad consists of two parts, an upper and lower frame.
In the uppermost frame, a man is being tormented by a hoard of angry devils, which represent the ailments: headache, toothache, nausea, and others. The man is clearly not well, and the Grim Reaper is looking over his shoulder from the background.
In the second frame, we see the same man after taking a swig of Wolcott’s Instant Pain Annihilator. The devils are swept away and the subject appears to be basking in a heavenly glow.
One might assume that the heavenly glow is the result of a strong dose of opiates, or cocaine, as these were common ingredients in over-the-counter medications at that time.
This advertisement image was published in 1863. This pre-1923 publication date insures that this image is in the public domain.
4 megabyte TIFF. Hosted at the Library of Congress.
User Descriptions
Related Media
spread the love
03.22.10
A pale, bearded man suffers Faustian tortures as anthropomorphic elements of pain afflict him. Depicted as brown, horned devils, headaches pull at his hair, jab his head, and, with particular malice, drill his forehead. Another pair lifts pointed utensils to his teeth to inflict a toothache while smaller demons play about his suffering visage. The leader of the band, a lean, standing devil in crown and sash represents pain in general as he lifts a sharp blade to stab the suited victim. Even death, a skeletal grim reaper, lurks over his shoulder. Thankfully, this advertisement offers a simply solution for the demonic problem of pain: Wolcott’s Instant Pain Annihilator. In the lower panel, the bottle of this amazing liquid has been opened; the devils are blown away and a heavenly light appears. The man, it might be noted, looks well, the bright color in his cheeks indicating health and, should a viewer be jaded, drunkenness. The bright colors of the print are indicative of early Victorian adds, and the imagery would play easily into the time’s perceptions of good and evil. It’s interesting to note, death is not dispelled with the demons; it’s curious to figure out exactly what this absence means.
03.27.10
The image is an old pencil-drawn advertisement for a pain medication. The image shows two views of a person, and a title in red above, stating: “Willcot’s instant pain annihilator” The first image which is the top image shows a pale man with red cheecks and a short beard, he has red lips long hair and is wearing something that looks like a brown coat. Around his face are thirteen develish creatures, attacking the mans face. He is frowning and looks like he is in agony, his hands are holding his head on either side. His teeth are clenched together. The second image shows the same man and the creatures, but now his face is much happier, he is smiling and his eyes look beautiful, his cheecks are even redder now his very large ears are visible. He holds a bottle with what looks like medicine, the red label on the bottle shows a long text, written in an old fashioned style, that begins with the same text as in the title. The creatures that were attacking him, are now blown away by the strength of the medicine, they hardly know how fast to get out of there!
05.14.10
the main ingredient is likely cannabis. this was a common and cheap medicine at the time, unlike heroin and cocaine based pharmaceuticals. The fact that death remains signifies that the pain medicine in not lethal. it does not kill anyone so death is still there. death is always there until we die.
05.14.10
notice death looks on with no suggestion of excitement. the demons represent neuralgia, toothache, weak nerves, headache and cataracts.
Re: what drug is in the red bottle – since cannabis is an analgesic and an anti inflammatory and cocaine is not….
http://www.youtube.com/user/msjesjames#grid/user/2ABB5852CF5277DC
05.14.10
oops!
that was a mistaken link above. this is the correct one
http://safeaccess.ca/research/