Vintage Medical Posters and Devices

The world has always abounded with dubious medical advice. Even in our own, "scientific" times, people line up to take our money in exchange for crystals or copper bracelets or magnets that are promised to cure what ails us. In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration evaluates claims of efficacy; and while it's overworked and highly problematic, at least the most blatant medical frauds do not receive FDA approval. Modern consumers are lucky to have something to go on, at least.

The same was not true a century ago. Phrenology, snake oil, and dubious cures abounded, and it was left up to the consumer to figure out which ones were for real -- or, in many cases, which ones even contained the ingredients they claimed. It can be fun to look back and see what passed for medical science back in the day.

Many vintage advertisements for patent medicines are now being reproduced as posters, and, for those who collect such things, antique medical devices can be found all over the internet. These items make great gifts for history teachers, medical students, or medical professionals who want to remind themselves how far they've come.