The Lowell Historical Society is proud to partner as publisher with board member and past LHS president Cliff Hoyt and his wife Linda to bring you A Century of Cures: Dr. J.C. Ayer & Co., Lowell, Mass., U.S.A. A Reference Guide
Cliff & Linda Hoyt’s collection of J.C. Ayer Co. memorabilia was one of the main reasons they moved from Maryland to Lowell. They began writing the book within months of moving here in April of 2004. Since they knew they would have to describe the bottles used by the Ayer Company, they began writing a bottle manufacturing identification guide. This guide ended up being the sole appendix to the book. From this starting point they developed a 500 page (9.0″x12″) hardbacked history with over 750 color images pertaining to products, advertising, photographs, and historical company documents. The book discusses many of the individual stories and issues that combine to make the 100 year history come alive. Items discussed will include:
- What was state-of-the-art of medicine?
- How did the term “patent medicine” come to mean the opposite of the individual words’ meaning?
- Were J.C. & Frederick Ayer quacks?
- What was the company’s stance on the 1906 Pure Food and Drug Act
- Why did the brothers build a railroad?
Book Price: $49.95 plus Massachusetts tax of $3.12 if mailed to a Mass. address and shipping of $6.50 (book rate – 3-9 days).
Checks can be mailed to Cliff Hoyt, 10 Kearney Sq. Apt. 408, Lowell, MA 01852. There is credit card purchasing available at: http://www.cliffhoyt.com/century_of_cures.htm
This book would be a great gift for your history buffs.