Meditrina, Goddess of Medicine, from the Goddesses of the Greeks and Romans series (N188) issued by Wm. S. Kimball & Co. 1889

This is “Meditrina, Goddess of Medicine,” a chromolithograph trading card printed by the Wm. S. Kimball & Company in the late 19th century. These cards were common advertising premiums, and the Kimball Company was a well-known manufacturer of tobacco products. The image draws from classical iconography to lend an air of prestige and tradition to a relatively new industry. Meditrina, a minor Roman goddess of health, is depicted with the serpent of Asclepius, a symbol of healing, and a chalice, possibly containing medicinal wine. In the context of the rapidly industrializing and urbanizing United States, the card subtly implies that Kimball's products offer a form of health and well-being. This kind of advertising imagery offers historians insight into the cultural values of the time, including how classical imagery was reinterpreted and commercialized within the United States. Through careful study, we can start to unpack the complex relationship between commerce, art, and public perception in the late 19th century.