Female afflictions

A wonderful ad from the pre-"womens liberation" movement of the late '60s. The product is purported to relieve stomach acid discomfort ocurring from tension in everyday chores.

Women back then did things like "cleaning". Or "ironing". Very charming. No mention of "working in an office".

But including "punish" and "temper" has raised a few eyebrows around the editorial team - we leave you to guess the context of those ones.

"Magnesia", 1965
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Summer romance

A full-page ad from the mid 1930s in cartoon format - the manufacturers are keen to remind the reader that girls don't date guys with body odour.

Nothing shady or un-politically-correct with this ad; just very nice art-deco charm.

"Summer romance", 1935
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The most lifelike arm ever invented

Try inserting this ad in a modern magazine.

"Armless", 1924

You will be sued to death by everyone out there! But it does have a catchy heading, doesn't it?

Mind your posture

With thousands of remarkable cases, the Philo-Burt Appliance has healing properties that border on the miraculous.

Fifty thousand cases treated over twenty years -that's a mere seven cures a day. Helpless people, crippled by their "deformed spines" have seen themselves riding horseback or playing tennis, within a year.

The address of the firm, at "Odd Fellows Temple" is not that inspiring either.

"Deformities of the back", 1924
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The Violet Ray is coming to you

Behold! For one dollar. The Violet Ray.

What? You've never heard of The Violet Ray? You kiddin' me?

The universal miracle cure for whooping cough, eye diseases, insomnia, lumbago and many, many more ailments of our modern way of life?

"Violet Ray", 1924
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The advertising industry in the interwar years had a tremendous role in the reach and popularity of all sorts of treatments, preparations and patented devices that belong to the realm of pseudomedicine and quackery. Probably the growing economy and the scientific advances of the time led many people to believe that anything that came out of a laboratory was good.

Some, like our Violet Ray here, have morphed into toys for Bondage and Submission, whilst others -like the toiletries with radioactive components, are outright dangeous and disappeared altogether after World War II.

What a beautiful nose

Before plastic surgery, people used all kinds of wacky and painful treatments to get rid of their flaws. A big proportion of these were just scams and outright quacks.

"Your nose beautified", 1930
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And in the spirit of correctness and equality, we also found the male version of this contraption.

"A better looking nose", 1930
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Just think of their antics trying to take off the harnesses before a passionate kiss!

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"Bow legs", 1930
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Bow legs? Don't treat them. Just create the illusion that your legs are straight.