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A man in bed has vegetables sprouting out of his body. "Singular effects of the universal vegetable pill on a green grocer."
Caricature mocking the vegetable universal pill. (Photo: Wellcome Images)

The maker of the "Vegetable Universal Pill" is the largest advertiser in U.S. media.

1849

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Caricature mocking the vegetable universal pill. (Photo: Wellcome Images)

A congressional committee in 1849 reports that Brandreth, the maker of the pill, is the nation’s largest proprietary advertiser. They claim that the pill removes toxins from the body. Between 1862 and 1863 Brandreth’s average annual gross income will surpass $600,000.