The Retro Blog

Consumerist has a fascinating post up about ironic vintage ads, like this one for Distaval, a thalidomide brand. As shown here, it could be used to sedate infants. Maybe that’s why homemakers in 1950s ads always seem so happy – they were allowed to drug up their babies! Thalidomide could also be given to expecting mothers to calm their nerves. Too bad it had the side effect of causing very serious birth defects. “This child’s life may depend on the safety of Distaval” indeed. [via neatorama]