'When a Man's a Little Bit Poorly'

Made:
1838-1855 in United Kingdom
maker:
Purday, Thomas Edward
'When a Man's a Little Bit Poorly' 'When a Man's a Little Bit Poorly' 'When a Man's a Little Bit Poorly' Music cover with medical theme (19th century): When a man's a Copy of music cover with medical theme (19th century): When a Copy of Music cover with medical theme

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Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Licence

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License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

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Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Licence

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License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

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Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Licence

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License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

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'When a Man's a Little Bit Poorly'
Science Museum Group
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

'When a Man's a Little Bit Poorly'
Science Museum Group
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

'When a Man's a Little Bit Poorly'
Science Museum Group
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Music cover with medical theme (19th century): When a man's a
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Copy of music cover with medical theme (19th century): When a
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Copy of Music cover with medical theme
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Music cover with medical theme (19th century): When a man's a little bit poorly.

‘When A Man’s A Little Bit Poorly’, was a song which claimed that doctors only made their patients worse. The chorus goes:

“When a Man’s a little bit poorly, he makes a fuss, wants a nurse, Thinks he’s going to die most surely, Sends for a doctor who makes him worse.”

It goes on to list the treatments he receives, including examinations, pills and drugs, and bloodletting. The doctor in the song has to call a physician, showing the different types of doctors and levels of expertise available in the 1800s. The song ends with the patient claiming he got better without medical help and would rather die in the ‘natural’ way than at the hands of a doctor.

Details

Category:
Art
Object Number:
1984-56/3
Materials:
paper
Measurements:
overall: 328 mm x 242 mm
type:
sheet music