New Rockford Transcript - Official Newspaper of Eddy County since 1883

October 8, 2019 — In October 1913, the following ad was in the local papers: Wanted! Perfectly healthy men and women who will voluntarily submit to an experiment which may lead to temporary or permanent impairment of health, or possible death. This experiment to be conducted with the coffee drug, “caffeine.” Following that, in bold letters, it read: Would You Apply for the Job?

The ad took up almost a half page in the Fargo Forum; it was advertising the health benefits of drinking the popular beverage, Postum, as opposed to coffee. Of Postum, the ad said, This pure food-beverage, made...