And now, The Road to Wellville by T. Coraghessan Boyle. Boyle's fanciful book is based on the real life development of the cereal industry from a cottage industry to a mainstay of our diets. Recognize these quotes? "Grape Nuts: There's a Reason; Postum; It Makes Red Blood". Or, life is a temporary victory over the causes which induce death"? Or, life is a terminal illness for which there is no cure, but the palatines and prophylactics can be most pleasant. The first, Charlie Post (Post Cereals), the second, Sylvester Graham (Graham crackers) and the last, sorry that's a quote of my own making.
These two, Post and Graham, fit the description of "Humbugs". We really should reintroduce this word of the 1880's as it so aptly describes many of our leaders, merchants and do-gooders. Here is how Webster defines the term: a deluding trick; hoax, fraud, or deception. A person who is not what he claims or pretends to be. Filling the blank: ____________ is a humbug.
For more about humbugs:
Shams by Benjamin Morgan. From Draper's book about hypocrites
Young. Dr. J. Harvey Young's crusade against quackery in the medical profession.
Brann. William Cowper Brann's Iconoclast judged the 1890 Texans pretty harshly.
ABOUTJoe Wortham