Oh, this is such a fantastic advertisement from 1934. Seriously, when I first saw this I immediately ran to my scanner.
I did a quick search for the doctor advertised and there is quite a bit of information about him, but it’s mostly books of medical reports, some court cases where he was a witness and an obituary for his wife in 1916. I have not, however, found anything about the procedure promoted below.
I can only use my imagination.
Tonsils Removed
in My Office
15 Minutes…
One treatment only required
Removed without pain, knife or blood, or shock
Patients can leave my office in a few minutes. Hundreds cured—Many of them do not lose a day’s work.
Price $25.00
PILES CURED IN THE SAME WAY
One lady, 73, drove her car home in another city in 10 minutes. Five cases from Piedmont, Ala. cured in about an hour’s time.
W.H. Holbrook, American-European Specialist in all Chronicle Diseases. Graduate of three of the leading Southern Medical Colleges. Many times post graduate of the best colleges of New York and Chicago. Have taken two courses in Europe.
Suite 607-8-9-10 Silvey Building
AT FIVE POINTS—TELEPHONE MAIN 7626
Atlanta, Georgia
I’m imagining it was a cauterization procedure that was done. Hopefully the implements used were sterilized between patients, sanitized at the very least. I’m sure they were, I’m just imagining someone having their hemorrhoids removed, then the same instruments being used to remove the next patient’s tonsils.
I’m impressed with a price of $25. Even with the price adjusted for these days (1944’s $25 tops out at a worth of about $1650 back in 2010) it is still cheaper than what it would cost today without insurance (the average cost of a tonsillectomy is just under $5500).
I also find it humorous that five clients all came over from Piedmont, Calhoun County, Alabama. I think that the population of the town back then was just over 1000 people (but don’t hold me to that…I can’t actually see the population).
I looked up the Silvey building and, of course, it is no longer there. It had a Marietta Street address, and it is also described as having been on Peachtree Street. Since I am not sure which side of the street it was on I can’t say what building is there now.
