Advertisement for weight loss pills
Colour lithograph, early 19th century
This lithograph of an obese man with a placard of himself
looking extremely thin, demonstrating the supposed effectiveness of
Morison's pills, shows that remedies offering a fast track to
weight gain or loss are not a modern phenomenon. James Morison
(1770-1840) was one of the most famous 'quacks' in 19th century
England and was the subject of many caricatures.