Life, 1929-03-15 · page 6 of 44
Life — March 15, 1929 — page 6: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is not a political cartoon or satire—it's a **Listerine advertisement** from Life magazine's "Life" section. The page promotes Listerine antiseptic mouthwash through two claims: 1. **Sore Throat Treatment**: The ad claims Listerine kills dangerous germs (including typhoid and other bacteria) within 15 seconds, positioning it as a preventative remedy mothers should use on family members during cold/flu season. 2. **Cold Prevention**: A secondary pitch recommends rinsing hands with Listerine before meals to prevent catching colds from germs picked up during the day. The photograph shows a mother administering Listerine to a child. This is straightforward product marketing exploiting medical anxieties—no satirical content is present. Such exaggerated health claims were common in early-to-mid 20th century advertising before modern FDA regulations.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Life Mother knows best what to do for SORE THROAT EN your throat tickles, when it feels raw or ir- ritated—gargle with Listerine full strength at once. Keep it up. Note how quickly you improve. Sore throat is usually a se- quel to a cold, and is caused by germs. And full strength Listerine, as you know, is powerful against germs. Its early and frequent use will often check cold and sore throat before they become serious. When it doesn’t, call your doctor. Wise mothers insist that members of their family gar- gle with Listerine system- atically night and morning during Winter and early Spring weather. Once you realize that full strength Listerine kills even the B. Typhosus (typhoid) and M. Aureus (pus) germs within 15 seconds, you can understand its effectiveness against lesser germ infec- tions. Lambert Pharmacal Company, St. Louis, Mo., U.S.A. Get the j LISTERINE pd a ett ou ona THE SAFE ANTISEPTIC Before every meal rinse the hands with # > ) little full strength Listerine. Listerine at- JOINED YET? y tacks cold germs picked up by your hands : during the day, rendering them harmless Get in the circle of men who've when, on food, they enter the body th: found the perfect shave—the » the mouth, cool shave with Ordinary soap and water help destroy LISTERINE SHAVING CREAM germs. But they are not enough. List completes the job, It’s a precaution taking. comicbooks.com