Trust me I'm a doctor

I've been looking at advertisements that leverage Sherlock Holmes, mainly articles on Beecham's pills (being published in the near future) and Flint Laboratories , so I keep my eye out for advertising points of interest.

It is 'known' that Doyle himself wrote a poem titled 'The Lay of the Grasshopper' (this link is to the valuable ACD Encyclopedia transcript) for 'Gressham Life Assurance Society' advertisement in Southsea. 

One thing I've found interesting in deeply scanning 1880s newspaper articles are two examples (so far) of advertisements where Conan Doyle provides attestations for products - both in 1885. I assume Doyle was paid some fee in exchange for his attestation.

The first of these is for Royal Bengal Tea. The advertisement appeared many times in newspapers across England. Curiously, he is credited as "A. Connor Doyle" of Southsea - I'd like to understand how that error was created.

There is an evident problematic appropriation of a 'Bengal' in this ad. It is curious that Doyle is leveraging his medical qualifications to advocate for the benefits of this tea. In many ways, it offers to solve maladies the way patent medicines of the time did. The advertisement appeared dozens of times in newspapers in late 1885.

Blandford and Wimborne Telegram
Friday 30 October 1885

THE ROYAL BENGAL TEA is in every respect the best tea grown. It contains the beneficial properties of tea in concentrated strength - the result of scientific cultivation.

A CONNOR DOYLE Esq. M.D. C.M., Southsea: "The Royal Bengal Tea appears to me to possess less tannin and to be more suited to the use of dyspeptic patients than any of which I have experience".

The Royal. Bengal Tea Company, Lombard Court, London, E.C.

This would be an obvious tea label for use by the Tea Brokers of Mincing Lane scion. Here's an adaptation of the brand and Doyle's quote as an example of what might be possible on a tea tin. It's on my list of plans!

The second advertisement is for a local business in Swansea. The advertisement is for 'anti-brace trousers' - an alternative to the standard use of braces. 

Again, we find we have an issue with cultural appropriation/presentation. On each side of the gentleman proudly pointing to the elastic on his trousers, we find the phrase 'See Testimonials'. 

Swansea Journal 
08 August 1885

The anti-brace trousers

Are conducive to health, preserve an elegant and upright figure ; prevents irritation at shoulders, and rashes on the skin ; give the lungs full play, for Braces cramp the respiratory organs, Mr. A.C. Doyle, M.D., says: 'They are the most pleasant and healthy, and by clasping the waist tightly gives the chest full play, no other support being required."

The City Tailors, 38, Castle Street, Swansea.

A short article (possibly also paid content) appears around the same time that explains how the trousers work and again cites Doyle:

Swansea Journal

22 August 1885

ANTI-BRACE TROUSERS, — The City Tailors (Messrs, Alabaster and Co., of Castle.street, Swansea,) are advertising a new novelty which has long been wanting to supply the place of the present brace. This is in the shape of Anti-Brace Trousers, which are drawn tightly together by the insertion of gussets at the back of the hips. Mr. Kenneth Welsh, M.R.C.S,, L.R.C.P., writes :— “I have much pleasure in certifying to the ease and comfort from the Auti-Brace Trousers. I found them very comfortable, giving an equal and easy support to the abdominal walls ; they also do away with the brace, which are the frequent cause of tumours on the shoulders arising from friction.” Mr, A. C. Doyle, M.D., writes :— "They are most pleasant and healthy, and by clasping the waist tightly gives the chest full sway, no other support being required."

It is reasonable to wonder whether Doyle's name was appropriated by these advertisers, as Sherlock's brand was appropriated by other advertisers. I believe it is unlikely.  I initially thought these advertisements did not seem to have appeared in Southsea newspapers, where Dr. Doyle practiced and may have experienced some embarrassment at the idea of leveraging his medical credentials to advocate for products the universal prmise of patent medicines. It turns out that the 'Royal Bengal Tea' advertisement was in Hampshire papers and therefore would have been spotted by locals.

1885 was a busy year for Doyle - he wrote Study in Scarlet, and he met and married his first wife. Given that both ads appeared in late 1885, one wonders whether Doyle had set upon the path of seeking paid endorsements. It was certainly a time of life when he was enterprising and seeking to make a penny or pound in any way he could.