Food History

First the ‘thank you.’ I was rather surprised to see Food History in the list of the top 100 Aussie blogs, but it is there and the only reason I can think for it being there is people reading it, which means you. Thank you!

Today I want to introduce you to another little leaflet. I bought this in Katoomba last year. This is the kind of leaflet that appears by happenstance, when you’re doing something else. In Katoomba I was writing a novel and was doing research in a second hand shop. The leaflet gently slipped into my hand and told me firmly “Buy me.”

It’s not very big: sixteen internal pages. It has a foxed and faded pink paper cover which says “Cooking Recipes and Home Hints Published by the Proprietors of Dr Morse’s Indian Root Pills.”

The back has calendars for 1927 and 1927 and proudly announces “Dr Morse’s Indian Root Pills. Australia’s National Remedy.” Date and country all nicely laid out, with the publication printed in Pitt Street, Sydney. Despite this, Dr Morse’s Indian Root Pills were from the US, apparently originating in Buffalo, NY in 1854. Project Gutenberg has put up a history of the pills and the patent medicine business they were a part of. It’s worth checking out.

What I love about this pamphlet is its incredibly bad layout. Let me give you the headings first. There will be recipes later, so be concerned.

Made in Australia By Australians for Australians.

Disordered Liver
Are you an Indoor Worker
Headache
Bilious Attacks
Always Tired
Indigestion
Biliousness
Save Money
Woman’s Daily Duties
Nervous depression
Comstock’s “Dead Shot” Worm Pellets
Comstock’s Nerve & Bone Liniment
Keep your system in fighting trim

Just typing that in exhausted my nervous sytem. There was a message in them, not very subliminal. We’re told “Bilious Attack” then given recipes. The recipes can wait till next time. In the meantime I intend to worry about a sentence my mind keeps framing which goes “Women’s Daily Duties Nervous depression.”