1700s advertising

Hystericon

I’m attempting to use the long ‘s’ for this transcript – I hope Wordpreſs doesn’t do anything weird with it: . HYſtericon, or Antidote againſt Fits, Vapours, Hypochondriack Melancholy, Vertigoe, Gid- dineſs or Swimming in the Head, Phrenzy, or Deprivation of Senſes, Suffocations, or Riſings in the Throat, Faintings, Swoonings, &c. (common- ly called Fits […]

Cosmeticon

This is another of the ads from Defoe’s A Review of the Affairs of France, which I have mentioned previously. COSMETICON: A most excellent wash to Beautifie the Face, &c., rendring the Skin sur- prisingly white and clear: It takes away all Hard- ness, Tan, Sunburn, or other Discolourings: All Morphews, Scurfs, Freckles, Lentils, &c., tho’ of […]

The Royal Essence for the Hair

This is the oldest advert featured on The Quack Doctor so far – it’s from a 1705 edition of Daniel Defoe’s periodical A Review of the Affairs of France. Defoe began the publication in February 1704 as a weekly opinion piece, but by the time of this example he was publishing it every Tuesday, Thursday and […]