Coal Speaker recently reported about the latest developments of the Wuhan virus..
It’s not the first time we have a ’20 with a flu.
100 years ago, the great Spanish flu ravaged the planet..
If you visited grave sites here in Eastern Pennsylvania anthracite locales you’ll see tons of headstones with dates reading 1918 through 1920… Perfectly healthy men, women, and way too many children and babies succumbed to their earthly fate those year..
It must have been brutal 100 years back. Parents and friends galloping from coal region grave to grave to bury the next friend of family member to meet the fate of the great flu..
We pray this latest Chinese flu outbreak does not kill as many as 100 years ago.. but things are not looking good.
However… as the snake oil salesman of yesterday would hock, here are a few products that were sure to get rid of the ailments of 1920.. would they be as effective today?!
VICKS!
Chances are you still own a jar of this gloopy substance. If you read the warnings, it says not to put INTO your nose, though so many of us still do, right?
Back in 1920, as the Spanish flu continued to strike, Ads appeared in various news rags for VICKS.. such as this in the Harrisburg Evening News in 1920 telling people to apply directly UP into their nostrils to beat sickness!
On April 9, 1920, the Harrisburg Evening News ran another ad aimed at Spanish flu victims in Pennsylvania.. It spoke about the cough that will hang around, the development of pneumonia.. the Ad said to avoid overwork and eat plenty of “wholesome foods.” And give yourself nightly applications of Vicks! It even says to SWALLOW a pea-sized amount of VICKS for those annoying coughs!!
The modern advice on this: DON’T SWALLOW VICKS!!!
X X X
It was not just VICKS that was sure to do your body good..
The Republican-Herald was busy running this ad on May 20, 1920:
In the early days, Foley’s concoction was 7% alcohol mixed with a special solution of pine tar and honey, terpin hydrate, sodium benzyl succinate and gum arabic. The recommended dosage for adults was one teaspoon; for children, a half teaspoon; for infants, five to 10 drops, according to the directions on the label of another undated bottle.
THAT’S MORE ALCOHOL THAN A BOTTLE OF YUENGLING!
X X X
PERUNA
AND IF THAT DIDN’T WORK, MAKE WAY FOR PE-RU-NA!!
It was built to withstand the furies of winter!
The ad in the Pittsburgh March 20 1920 paper stated that Peruna would sooth diseased membranes… it would regulate digestion! It would aid elimination! And it would restore strength after the ravages of the Spanish flu..
Some more reports from the time indicate that Peruna was 28% alcohol! That it didn’t work! That it was the epitome of snake-oil.. As a matter of fact, when Prohibition came into effect, Americans began using Peruna and other similar products as a way to get drink amounts of alcohol! Peruna had stopped being sold by the mid 1940s..
x x x
CELL-O-SAN
The Harrisburg ad in 1920 stated that Cell-o-san helps sufferers escape the Flu! The Harrisburg AD says “many druggists in Harrisburg now have it on hand.” It was billed as the best preventative ever created!
Even more, this drug was billed as being found by a “marvelous new discovery treated by electrical force probably totally unlike anything you have ever used.” PROBABLY….
X X X
REALITY
The 1800s were not just the time of the snake oil salesman, but the 1900s as well..
All of the drugs never brought miracles.. the Spanish flu waned as viruses became naturally less lethal with time.
But in February 1920, the Scranton TRIBUNE pleaded to nurses to help fight the last gasp of the disease..
A serious shortage of professional nurses was spoken of.. deaths and rapidly spreading symptoms were feared..
All of those snake oils never helped..
What did were nurses, doctors, and science.. and the lessening strength of disease through time.
Let’s pray that the newest Chinese flu is not nearly as back as that which struck 100 years ago.
