Dr. Pierce’s Pleasant Purgative Pellets
The average life span for American white males born in 2006 increased from 77 to 78 years. Sounds great for those American white males born in 2006, but much of the hoopla, when compared to the low-life expectancy rates of the past, has to do with statistical manipulation. At the turn of the 19th century life expectancy was 48 years, but if you lived until age 40, you were expected to live another 28 years. Today, if an American white male lives to the age of 40, he can expect to live an additional 39 years.
One of the greatest strides in 20th century medicine has focused on infant and child mortality. The great number of deaths in this class range has influenced the overall age of death estimates prior to the 19th century. In the 18th century, infant mortality has been estimated to 400 deaths per 1,000. Twenty percent of children died before their 8th birthday. Such a statistic drastically affects the average life expectancy for any individual. Today, it is seven deaths per 1,000. It is no wonder by lowering child mortality rates, average life expectancy increases. Statistical analyses suggesting an average life span of 20 for those living 2,000 years ago are also skewed, as osteological analyses report individuals living into their 60s, and no doubt some well into their 70s and 80s.
Biliousness was a common condition in the 18th and 19th centuries. The term pertained to all ailments associated with bad digestion, stomach pains, constipation and excessive flatulence. Advertised in most newspapers around Sonoma County were magic elixirs designed to cure the tell-tale signs of the affliction: spitting of blood, yellowish-brown spots on the face, coated tongues and gloomy forebodings. In 19th century Sonoma there were dozens of promotions for medicine designed to cure just about anything which could both ease discomfort any maybe even lengthen one’s life. Two-thousand years ago life expectancy averaged 20 years, by the late 18th century life expectancy increased to 24 years and by the 19th century one could expect to die in their 48th year.
There is an old wives’ tale stating that Indians are immune to poison oak. Along with this statement there are numerous folkloric stories involving poison oak rituals; the tongues of babies being rubbed with the poisonous leaflets and branches being burned and the smoke inhaled, all performed to prevent the raised red bumps and infectious itching. Historical documents addressing the medicinal plants used by Indians list dozens of remedies reported to ease the treacherous itching associated with its touch. It became clear if Indians had a remedy for poison oak, they must not be immune to it. I have applied this notion to other diseases and have concluded there must be a correlation between the prevalence of a disease and the number of remedies reported for it.
In rummaging through the variety of ailments and magic elixirs advertised in the mid-1800s classified ads, the most prevalent ailments seem to be digestive and bronchial. Sonoma was bombarded with Dr. Pierce’s Pleasant Purgative Pellets. One bottle sold for $1 while six bottles could be purchased for $5. The pellet was guaranteed to cure just about anything troubling, including gloomy forebodings. Someone should have told Dr. Peirce that the word “pellet” sounded like something one either gave to, or came from, a farm animal. Having turned 50 this year, I was particularly interested in the Harris Remedy Company’s magic elixir for men only. This may have been a precursor to Viagra, as it promised to cure nervous debility, organic weakness and physical decay. It was an 1866 publication in Wales, “Notes and Queries” that first promoted the apple as a natural source of health stating “Eat an apple on going to bed, and you’ll keep the doctor from earning his bread.” I think I’ll stick to the old standby and stock up on my favorite, a bundle of green, slightly sour Pippins.
