COVE

 Thomas Beecham first invented Beecham's Pills in 1842. These over-the-counter pills claimed to help those with bilious and nervous disorders which today means indigestion and constipation. These pills contained ginger, soap, and aloe and were a mild laxative. They were actually successful, and the pills were praised by many. The ingredients had been researched beforehand to help those with the symptoms of constipation and indigestion. Ginger was used to help upset stomachs, aloe was used as an antioxidant to ease constipation, and soap was used as the laxative part of the pill. During this time in the Victorian Era, many diseases were spreading, and people were scared of getting sick, so the invention of Beecham's Pills helped people not be as fearful knowing they had a medicine to help them.

Today, we know what the pills were helping people with, constipation and indigestion, because of our newfound knowledge of health and medicine, but back then these pills were advertised to help people with “nervous disorders.” During the Victorian Era, no one really knew what mental health was and if someone was sick, they would associate it with someone as being crazy, not necessarily sick. That is why these pills were advertised to help “nervous disorders.” Today, mental health is much more widely talked about and if these pills were invented now, the advertisement would be much different since we are open about mental health. Beecham's Pills affected our society because now there have been so many advertisements and new medicines that claim to cure us or make us heathier people. Because of the success of Beecham's Pills other people made medicine so they could make money and have success too and this is something that is still seen today. 

Not only can these pills relate to today, but they can relate to the reading of North and South. Mrs. Hale and Bessy are two characters who are extremely sick. Having a medicine like this that was widely used and has a good reputation of giving people good health was something that Mrs. Hale and Bessy would love to hear. They might think that it could help cure them and help with their health. These advertisements of different medicines in the Victorian Era proved to affect not only these characters in North and South, but also our society today. 

Works Cited:

British Library. https://www.bl.uk/collection-items/advertisement-for-beechams-pills.

Edwards, Bob. Apothecary Anecdotes: Beechams Pills. 27 Feb. 2020. https://botanicgarden.wales/2020/02/apothecary-anecdotes-beechams-pills/.

Science Museum, London. https://wellcomecollection.org/works/ntukgt9n.