‘Universal Pills No 2.’, c1830-1840

Description

Mounted coloured lithograph, entitled ‘UNIVERSAL PILLS No 2.’, designed and lithographed by anon and published by William Spooner, circa 1830-1840.

In ‘UNIVERSAL PILLS No 2.’ a tall young man is in conversation with a short, old fashioned chemist pounding a mortar at his counter. Behind the counter are shop rounds and a drug run. The chemist looks up from his from his work to ask: “What d’ye say, your Father’s confined too ? Bless me, why don’t he try Morrisons Pills ?”,

The young man replies: “Cos I don’t think he knowd as they vos good things to get him out of Vitecross Street Prisun !” At least 25 caricatures were published during the 1830s ridiculing Morison’s Pills.