Browse Exhibits (3 total)
The Promise of a Cure
Tablets & Tinctures: A Brief History of Patent Medicine
The phrase “patent medicine” was first used in the late 17th century. It referred to medical elixirs that were issued “letters patent” authorizing the use of royal endorsement in their advertising. The popularity of patent medicine rose significantly during the 19th century, as misleading advertisements convinced the public that no disease or symptom was beyond the cure of liniments, tinctures, and other concoctions.
But without government regulation, these “quack” cures could be addictive and even deadly. Many proprietary recipes were high in alcohol content or strengthened with opiates and cocaine. Parents who tried to heal their babies from colic often faced tragic results after administering these remedies.
The production of patent medicine and their advertising became major American industries. It wasn’t until 1906, with the support of President Theodore Roosevelt, that legislation was passed— paving the way for public health action against unlabeled ingredients, deceptive advertising, and the practice of “quack” medicine.
Take a look at some of these items in the NCHGS/Sigal Museum collection. Some are examples of patent medicine cures, with a few that have stood the test of time unto today. Other items in the collection include hygiene products and daily care items.
Sources:
Hagley Museum & Library
National Museum of American History
Spanish translations provided by Ana Luhrs
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Tabletas y tinturas: una breve historia de la medicina de patentes
La frase "medicina patentada" se utilizó por primera vez a fines del siglo XVII. Se refería a elixires médicos que se emitieron "cartas de patentes" que autorizaban el uso del respaldo real en su publicidad. La popularidad de la medicina patentada aumentó significativamente durante el siglo XIX, ya que los anuncios engañosos convencieron al público de que ninguna enfermedad o síntoma estaba más allá de la cura de linimentos, tinturas y otros brebajes.
Pero sin la regulación gubernamental, estas curas "charlatanes" podrían ser adictivas e incluso mortales. Muchas recetas patentadas tenían un alto contenido de alcohol o estaban reforzadas con opiáceos y cocaína. Los padres que intentaron curar a sus bebés del cólico a menudo enfrentaron resultados trágicos después de administrar estos remedios.
La producción de medicamentos patentados y su publicidad se convirtieron en las principales industrias estadounidenses. No fue sino hasta 1906, con el apoyo del presidente Theodore Roosevelt, que se aprobó la legislación, allanando el camino para la acción de salud pública contra ingredientes no etiquetados, publicidad engañosa y la práctica de la medicina "charlatanes".
Eche un vistazo a algunos de estos artículos en la colección NCHGS / Sigal Museum. Algunos han resistido la prueba del tiempo, otros, no tanto.
Fuentes: Hagley Museum & Library, National Museum of American History
Eras of Elegance
It Began with a Survey
Since 1906, local families have donated clothing and accessories to Northampton County Historical and Genealogical Society (NCHGS). In the summer of 2012, funds were raised for the purpose of surveying NCHGS’s textiles. Led by Dr. Karin Bohleke, Director of the Fashion Archives and Museum of Shippensburg University, NCHGS undertook a comprehensive inventory of its textile holdings. As the examination continued, it became apparent that NCHGS had amassed a sizeable and important collection of historical clothing.
Creating the Exhibition
Curators Nancy O'Hanlon and Andria Zaia proposed holding a major exhibit to share some of the unique and beautiful garments uncovered during the survey with the public. A generous donation from the Brown-Daub Foundation, along with the support of NCHGS's Board and Board President, L. Anderson Daub, made the curators' proposed exhibit a reality.
The clothing exhibited belonged to local residents with familiar names – Drinkhouse, Porter, Rinek, and Bixler (among others). The garments and accessories selected for display demonstrated that residents dressed in stylish clothing – their fashion sense and choices likely influenced by the county’s proximity to New York and Philadelphia. The garments were chosen specifically for their historic value and were excellent examples of the changes in fashion from the mid-1700s through the 1920s. Because of their age, many of the garments needed extensive conservation. Dedicated volunteers spent hundreds of hours repairing and stabilizing the antique gowns and shawls for display. Dr. Karin Bohleke returned as guest curator to guide the conservation efforts and to help with the details of mannequin dressing and exhibit installation. And with her assistance, Eras of Elegance originally opened on November 22, 2014 at Sigal Museum in historic downtown Easton, Pennsylvania.
What's Missing Here
During the survey, NCHGS recognized a dearth of male clothing – a common occurrence in museum textile holdings, as families are more likely to preserve and donate garments that hold some sentimental value, like wedding dresses. In addition, men's fashion tended to change less dramatically. For this reason, Eras of Elegance focused exclusively on women’s garments and accessories.
The NCHGS online textile collections are listed on the right. Click each link to experience a different Era of Elegance.
The Cat's Meow
The Lehigh Valley in the Age of Art Deco & the Roaring Twenties
Step back into 1920s America when the Lehigh Valley was roaring with red light districts, illegal underground speakeasies, and organized crime. Immigrants, women, and children found work in the booming steel and textile industries across the area.
In a bold reaction against tradition, the Art Deco movement emerged to the forefront of design in an increasingly mechanized world. Architecture, furniture, apparel, graphic design, cars, trains, ocean liners, and jewelry all begin to reflect the growth and change of a young 20th-century America.
Click on tabs to the right to journey with us from the end of World War I through Prohibition and the Great Depression as we celebrate this dynamic era.
The Cat's Meow: The Lehigh Valley in the Age of Art Deco originally opened on September 9, 2017 at Sigal Museum in historic downtown Easton.