(no subject)

[brin_bellway]

I wanted to title this "And hoped by stretching tall that they might keep their land/Their home, their hearth, their flesh and soul", but it doesn't quite fit in the title box.

[cw: illness]


My law textbook: In the 1890s, England was plagued by two related phenomena: an influenza epidemic and quack medicine.

Me: uh, yeah, about that...

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We're still standing in a hole, but *wow* is it a lot shallower than it used to be.

(God, can you imagine? Not knowing anything about what you're up against--not even being sure if it's *contagious* or not--just you and your phenol against a mysterious and hostile world. *shudders*)

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(Yes, I know it's by no means certain that the 1889 pandemic was a coronavirus, but honestly that adds to the point. If 1889 researchers had had the ability to *tell us* what kind of pathogen it was, we wouldn't have to wonder now.)

Comments

[crnahg_yhor]

In a new advert on February 25, 1893 in the Illustrated London News, Mr. Roe cunningly turned the whole lost case to his advantage. He described the culpable advert, and then said,

"Many thousand Carbolic Smoke Balls were sold on these advertisements, but only three people claimed the reward of £100, thus proving conclusively that this invaluable remedy will prevent and cure the above mentioned diseases. The CARBOLIC SMOKE BALL COMPANY LTD. now offer £200 REWARD to the person who purchases a Carbolic Smoke Ball and afterwards contracts any of the following diseases..."

Some people, in over their heads, seem to insist that there's no hole at all.

I'm pretty sure we know more now.