Health and How To Get It , 1912 [ Hamilton – Beach New Life Vibrator ]

Description

Original “medical” instruction manual for Hamilton – Beach ‘s New Life Vibrator with numerous illustrations

 

Bryson, Charles Lee, ed. Health and How To Get It. Hamilton – Beach Mfg. Company. Racine, Wisconsin. 1912.

 

This scarce health guide was published by the then-2-year-old Hamilton – Beach Manufacturing company, best known for their blenders and mixers, to offer instructions “for people who use a vibrator in their homes”. Although clearly intended to boost sales for the company’s own New Life Vibrator and its various, pictured attachments, the book acknowledges older vibrators and their users and advertises itself as “the pioneer in its line” as a clearly written medical text for non-professionals seeking self-care.

Arranged alphabetically, the text offers self-massage remedies for various ailments with references to JH Kellogg and a suspicious preference for “Anglo-Saxon words” over the Latin and “German” used by doctors. An interesting glimpse into the overlap between self-care, medical skepticism, and alternative medicine from 1912 illustrated throughout with medical and mechanical diagrams.

 

8vo, 300pp, burgundy cloth boards with title gilt to front and spine. Front board sunned top 1″ of left side. Spine darkened. Binding flexible but firm. Pages toned but clean. Thoroughly illustrated. Very good.

 

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