Tags
1883, civil war, dentist, female, newspaper, Norfolk VA, Philadelphia PA, The Public Ledger, theft, women in history, women's rights
As reported in the Norfolk Virginia newspaper, The Public Ledger, this female, Philadelphia, fed-up dentist took out an ad as a warning directed at the person responsible for removing her business sign. A pioneer in dentistry she was, and this is an example of an early American “social media” rant! Full article and transcription below.
THE IRE OF A FEMALE DENTIST
In defense of her business and for the glory of her sex, Mrs. Dr. F. C. Treadwell, dentist, of North Thirteenth street, Philadelphia, has put on her war paint. Her battle cry was printed as an advertisement Thursday. It appears that she recently moved to the house in Thirteenth street, leaving a sign on her old establishment, above Tenth, announcing the fact, as well as the location of her present place of business. The disappearance of the sign is the cause of the trouble, and in her card Mrs. Treadwell offers a reward of $10 “for the detection of the poor, miserable sneak who, under cover of the dark, persists in removing it.” “I’m no woman’s rights agitator, she said, “but I believe in the right of a woman to defend herself. I am the pioneer among the female dentists, and the two-cent creatures, in the guise of men, who have crept into the profession, are eating their hearts out with envy because I live in spite of them. They can feast in that way as long as they like, but if they don’t leave my sign alone I’ll make them think they’re haunted. I’m on the lookout for them, and when I catch one there will be fun.”
Wouldn’t you love to see the follow up ad? Without further research, one can only guess whether the offender kept his teeth.
Until next time, Peace, Squeaks, and Quacks.
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