Dusty Diary: July 1874

Sunday, July 19, 2009

July 1874

9 comments :

Heidi Renée said...: "Obstacles to marriage": Erectile disfunction ads, 1874-style?; July 19, 2009 at 9:29 PM
Dusty Diary said...: Hello Ms. Renee, thank you for visiting. Yes, that's exactly what it is. And there were many in the 1874 papers--at least 1 or 2 such ad in each weekly edition of a roughly 6-page paper.

You can also see the implication in the ad that ED was caused by "self-abuse." So, in my opinion, not only does the "Howard Association" prey on the insecurities of normal men with normal occasional lapses in sex drive, they also throw in a little period "self-abuse" guilt for good measure.

I've read thousands of pages of old newspaper printouts, but have never seen a single ad from this era concerning "obstacles to marriage" for women, promising to charge up their sex drive.; July 19, 2009 at 10:39 PM
Unknown said...: The comet was Coggia's Comet. I couldn't find a photo, but here's a sketch.

I don't know what they mean by "a very unfavorable subject to operate upon" means, but I'm imagining a large mallet...; July 20, 2009 at 1:09 AM
Dusty D said...: jml: that is fascinating. Turns out it was named for French astronomer Jerome Eugene Coggia, and a search turns up articles stretching from New York to Nebraska...most of the nation was watching Comet Coggia.

"Stargazers and amateur astronomers in the Midwest during the summer of 1874 were treated to the sight of an impressive comet. "M. Coggia's comet," according to the morning edition of the Omaha Daily Bee, of July 17, 1874, "has almost every evening been plainly visible to the naked eye, and of all the heavenly bodies has been 'the observed of all observers.' . . . . It has gathered strength in the northern heavens for the past three months, and will be intrinsically brighter than now a few days hence, but will shine to us only in competition with the sunlight. After to-night, as we learn from a gentleman well versed in the interesting science of astronomy, it will set before the expiration of twilight, and not rise to us still [until] after the morning twilight has begun. . . ."

As for "a very unfavorable subject to operate upon," my first impression was that that meant a gentleman of generous proportions, making it difficult and more hazardous to operate. But who knows...; July 20, 2009 at 7:13 AM
Bob Garrett said...: I like how the author of the runaway horse article notes that the horse "relieved the oppressive monotony of the clerks in that part of town."

Always look at the bright side!

: ); July 20, 2009 at 8:30 AM
Dusty D said...: Bob: Yes, the poor clerks! Nothing like a runaway horse, a smashed buggy, and a partially demolished awning to liven up a dull afternoon!; July 20, 2009 at 10:09 AM
Anonymous said...: Cancer of the face?? I wonder what that was.; July 20, 2009 at 10:19 AM
Dusty D said...: Teacher Patti: That is odd, isn't it? And "cancer of the shoulder." It's as if a cancer occurring on a shoulder is a specialized form of the disease.

Unfortunately, of course amoral charlatans like him are just as much with us now as they were back then.; July 20, 2009 at 10:34 AM
juliew said...: I'm guessing cancer of the face was melanoma/skin cancer.; July 21, 2009 at 10:23 AM

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