The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-01-23
BEFORE and AFTER,
The Gepui.c Character OF Teatimon,,,.
and Before and After" Portraits.

In THE HuMoR or AMERICA, a book Issped -
the Scrlbners, there Is a comic story of cer,.I,
Judge Pitman. who. being threatened with b,IJ.
ness. made trial Of n hair restorative. and VA.
So much gratlfed to find his hair ACTUALLY iIa
grow again that he naturally regarded IN.
remedy with admiration, and decided to DIV.
expression to his feelings. He thereupon. win
the natural tendency OF lawyer to keep him.
self out OF trouble. employed the author. who
tells the story and was familiar with the fact,
to draw up a certificate and affirm tho outcom,
over his own signature The literary man zoe.
on to relate that pretty soon this certificate an.
peared under tho heading: Most REMARKABLY.
Cure on Record" and ever since he has had
faith In advertising, the more particularly on
account OF frequent applications made to him
to prepare testimonials for other cures Tbs
original testimonial-the one that gave rise IN
the story-was genuine, given In good fifth
and, although fattering propositions were mads
the writer, ho never wrote any other.
II will be found by those who attempt to In.
vestiRate testimonials concerning remarkable
cures that they are nearly always genuine al.
though the subject may not always stay cured.
The prevailing opinion. however. entertained
by the people at large is that testimonials ara
manufactured out of whole cloth BY the parties
who use them to puff their wares. This ia far
from being so. The following true story OF a ties.
trnonial Is given space hero. because II Is OF real
interest to advertisers who have had occasion tn
wonder now and then Just how much OF truth
and how much OF fiction goes to make the ordi.
nary patent medicine testimonial. Late in tn.
month OF November, 1895. the Ripans Chemical
Co. OF New York received the following letter,
o,, DAYTON, Ohio Nov. 2S. 1890
DEAN siRsi In the latter part OF last winter was
troubled for quite while with insomn mia, which
caused general breaking down Of the n-rvou. avs
tenn. followed 10y nervous peuralgia and nerasis a.
the heart No one can describe my suffering at this
time. was unable to eat or sleep and my condition
became so critical that my physician could do moth
Ing but give hypodernic injections OF morphine MI
family and friends became alarm, d. hut could ID
nothing. Ny pastor recommended other physIoinns
but was discouraged and would not try them BE-
Isying my own family doctor was doing all that any
Of them could do. Many remedies recon m ndsd
by friends tried them all without success My cou.
diton at this time was pitiablr; weak, broken down
a mere shadow OF my former self. at last told nv
wife i was going to try one more remedy. RipAns
Taouiea l. did not expect them TO cure me In my
condition. and after taking them for days was
ABOUT to give up. but concluded to give them good
trial. Before long began to improve. / used the
box and bought q dollar bottle. but did not need
hair OF them. for they did their work nobiy, and
was soon a new man. have been working rishs
along aud have had return OF my troubles and In
Justice TO you and your great remedy, / onsr tina
my unsolicited testimony, hoping the people win
recognize the merits OF your great remedy.
am gratefully yours,
<82 Oak st., Dayton, o.
Tho testimonial of Mr.. Sterling seemed -
strong that the managers of the Ripans Chen.
ical Co. decided TO cause his case to Be care.