‘Hodgsons Genuine Patent Medicines/ Dr James’s Antibilious Pills’, 1836-1844

Description

Mounted hand coloured etching, entitled ‘HODGSONS GENUINE PATENT MEDICINES / Dr. JAMES’S ANTIBILIOUS PILLS’, designed and etched by anon, and published by Orlando Hodgson, between 1836-1844.

A well-dressed woman wearing a large ribboned bonnet is in conversation with her servant, who is doing the laundry. Misunderstanding the woman, the servant has put Bile Pills into a clothes copper to boil.

Lettering below the design: “Betty, what have you done with the PILLS I bought this morning?”. “O marm, you said they was for the BILE so I put em into the copper but I don’t think they will make the Clothes a good colour”