'Extraordinary effects of Morison Vegetable Pills!', advertisement published London, England, 1834
Coloured lithograph by C.J.G. entitled "Extraordinary effects of Morrison Vegetable Pills!". (Published by J. Kendrick, Leicester Square, January 10th 1834) 23cmx27cm.
The caption of this image describes the ‘Extraordinary Effects of Morison’s Vegetable Pills’, re-growing a man’s legs overnight. Morison’s Vegetable Pills were the brainchild of James Morison (1770-1840) and sold from 1825 onwards. Morison believed that all disease was caused by an impurity of the blood that could only be purged by his vegetable pills. The pills, a laxative based on a variety of herbs, including rhubarb and myrrh, were sold in chemists, grocers and even libraries. Morison believed that his pills could be taken in large doses but a number of deaths proved him wrong. Many labelled him a quack and his pills a poison. The print is by Charles Grant Jameson (active 1832-1850).