Alan Mays' photos with the keyword: floating

An elaborate nineteenth-century advertising trade card for Buchu-Paiba, a patent medicine that supposedly cured kidney, bladder, and urinary diseases. Buchu-Paiba "'Buchu-Paiba,' quick, complete cure [for] all annoying kidney diseases, $1." Words in the water: "Rescued from kidney and bladder affections." Flags: "Rough on Rats" and "Wells' Health Renewer." "Mayer, Merkel & Ottmann, Lith., N.Y." Excerpts from the ads printed on the back of the card: "Mother Swan's Worm Syrup. For fever, restlessness, worms, constipation. Tasteless. Perfectly harmless, but the most effective worm destroyer extant." "Rough on Rats. 15c boxes. Clears out rats, mice, roaches, flies, mosquitos, bed bugs, insects, skunk, weasel gophers, chipmunks, moles, musk rats, etc." "Wells' Rough on Corns. Complete cure." "'Bucha-Paiba.' Quick, complete cure, all annoying kidney and urinary diseases. $1.00 at druggists." "E. S. Wells, manufacturer and proprietor, Jersey City, N.J. U.S.A."

Some bubbly women on a postcard from the early twentieth century. Postmark on the back: Reading, Pa., Aug. 27, 1911. Addressed to: "Mr. Samuel Dittus, 29 Inf M.G.P., Fort Niagara, N.Y." Message: "Dear Brother, I am having a nice time. Wish you were here in Reading with me. Did you get my other post card? Love to you from your sister Nettie, 446 S. Christian St. [Lancaster, Pa.]" Sadly, Nettie's brother was killed in action during combat in France seven years later. As reported in the Harrisburg Telegraph newspaper on December, 17, 1918, p. 2, "Corporal Samuel H. Dittus, 31 years old, a member of the Fourth United States Infantry, was killed in battle on October 12, according to an official message received by his sister, Mrs. Nettie Cramer, of Lancaster. Dittus was twelve years in the service and had seen service in Cuba and the Philippines. About three months ago he was wounded and shell shocked and had been back with his command but a short time when killed."

"Fairbank's Fairy Soap. Unequaled for toilet, bath, and fine laundry use. The Strobridge Lith. Co., Cin., O. Copyright 1898, the N. K. Fairbank Company, Chicago." According to Wikipedia's N. K. Fairbank article, "Nathaniel Kellogg 'N. K.' Fairbank (1829-1903) was a Chicago industrialist whose company, the N. K. Fairbank Co., manufactured soap as well as animal and baking products.... [The company's] Gold Dust Washing Powder ... was one of the most successful cleansing product lines in twentieth century North America. Another original Fairbank creation, Fairy Soap, was purchased by Procter & Gamble and remains one of the best-known European household brands." The ships on the trade card probably depict battleships used during the Spanish-American War, which began in 1898.