Trade cards were a popular form of advertising between the 1870s and early 1900s. They came in packages of various products or were distributed free to customers. Collecting trade cards became a popular hobby and the cards often featured images that had little connection with the product advertised. Sets of trade cards featuring pictures of animals, birds, historical scenes, sites around the world, and other themes were issued to encourage collecting.
A testimonial from a satisfied customer on the back of this card: “I had scrofulous sores that ran all the time. I took six bottles of Hood’s Sarsaparilla, and they are gone.” Mrs. Louisa Corson (75 years old) Bridgton Maine.
Image courtesy of New York Academy of Medicine
To learn more about the history of medicine and quack cures, see Discovering Quacks, Utopias, and Cemeteries