Advertising

Researching old south coast newspapers you will come across this type of advertising time and again..  This was a one of many advertisement that promised amazing cures for all sorts of ailments.

Shoalhaven News and South Coast Districts Advertiser 1900.

Advertising for Ayre’s Sarsaparilla appeared in many local Shoalhaven newspapers over many years.

It made me wonder what this miracle cure was?

”The back of this advertising card claimed: “Without doubt the discovery of America is Ayer’s Sarsaparilla.   This is a compound concentrated extract composed of the Sarsaparilla-root of the tropics, Stillingia, Yellow Dock, Mandrake, and other roots held in high repute for their alterative, diuretic, tonic, and curative properties. An economical and reliable blood-purifying medicine.”

In fact, this remedy was nothing more than a simple beverage of sweetened, herb-flavored water. It was dispensed as a “tonic” (still the general term for soda pop in certain areas of the country) but it was little different from the drink we now call root beer”.

REF:http://www.hagley.org/online_exhibits/patentmed/items/ayers.html