Louis Crusius. Calendrier Antikamnia 1900. St. Louis, États-Unis, The Antikamnia Chemical Company, 1899. 6 sheets of strong paper in-8°.(25,3 x 17,6 cm) printed on both sides, illustrated with 7 macabre plates, 6 in colour with captions. Bound together with a string.
Entirely lithographed medical advertising calendar, French version of the American catalogue. Antikamnia was distributed in France by Roberts et Co, pharmaciens-droguistes, 5 rue de la Paix, Paris.
It was addressed to practitioners at Christmas, as evidenced by the ‘Compliments’ printed on the last page.
The calendar was published in 1899 by the American pharmaceutical firm Antikamnia Chemical Company (St. Louis, USA); Louis Crusius, himself a pharmacist, is the author of the strikingly macabre illustration extolling the virtues of this analgesic, antipyretic and harmless pill, […] a substitute for the morphine from which it takes its name (antikamnia means ‘opposed to pain’ in Greek).
On the back, with the usual charlatan’s spiel and praise from the medical press, is printed all the information, dosage, indications and contraindications of this miracle drug: la pilule peut être avalée telle quelle, mais il vaut mieux l’écraser d’abord et la faire dissoudre dans de la glycérine étendue d’eau ou dans un véhicule alcoolique [the pill can be swallowed as it is, but it is better to crush it first and then dissolve it in water-extended glycerine or in an alcoholic vehicle] !
Antikamnia proved to be particularly toxic, and the remedy was banned in 1901.
Very good state of conservation, which is rare, despite some pinpricks and very slight marginal creasing.
1 600 €