Kaufmann on Disease, Its Causes and Home Cure
- Boston: A.P. Ordway & Co, 1881
Boston: A.P. Ordway & Co, 1881. Very good to fine; toned, some light wear to wrappers.. Published in 1881, this booklet offers its reader detailed descriptions of different diseases while also advertising Kaufmann's Sulphur Bitters, a "family" patent medicine that claims to treat and cure everything from headaches and rheumatism to kidney disease and Malaria.
The booklet begins with a short biography of Kaufmann and his advice on caring for the sick, vaccination ("Always be sure that the [vaccine] is obtained from the cow", p. 4), and diet; following these are over fifty pages of advice for specific diseases. For each, Kaufmann discusses the cause, symptoms, and treatment or cure where applicable. Examples include scabies, flatulence, bad breath, pimples, measles, diabetes, and syphilis. There is also a lengthy section titled "Dr. Kaufmann's Half-Hour Talk with Females" (pp. 8-11) which discusses women's health, and how his Bitters can cure everything from painful menstruation to amenorrhea; he also asserts later in the booklet that it is "perfectly safe" to take his medicine during pregnancy (p. 13). Mental health is discussed under the headings "The Blues" (p. 35) and "Hysteria" (p. 56); unsurprisingly, he attributes hysteria to "menstrual irregularities" which, again, can be cured with his Sulphuric Bitters.
Stapled in original printed wrappers (8" by 5"), pp. 72, with 3 colored plates and several smaller in-text illustrations.
The booklet begins with a short biography of Kaufmann and his advice on caring for the sick, vaccination ("Always be sure that the [vaccine] is obtained from the cow", p. 4), and diet; following these are over fifty pages of advice for specific diseases. For each, Kaufmann discusses the cause, symptoms, and treatment or cure where applicable. Examples include scabies, flatulence, bad breath, pimples, measles, diabetes, and syphilis. There is also a lengthy section titled "Dr. Kaufmann's Half-Hour Talk with Females" (pp. 8-11) which discusses women's health, and how his Bitters can cure everything from painful menstruation to amenorrhea; he also asserts later in the booklet that it is "perfectly safe" to take his medicine during pregnancy (p. 13). Mental health is discussed under the headings "The Blues" (p. 35) and "Hysteria" (p. 56); unsurprisingly, he attributes hysteria to "menstrual irregularities" which, again, can be cured with his Sulphuric Bitters.
Stapled in original printed wrappers (8" by 5"), pp. 72, with 3 colored plates and several smaller in-text illustrations.