Background: The image of the female nurse has been discussed within the field of the history of the profession. It became evident that the attributes used by the nurses were determined by the professional education institutions in Brazil. Objectives: To present and compare the frequency of the female images with the personal attributes of the female nurse in medication advertisements; and to comment on their decoding as a strategy to build the public image of the female nurse. Methodology: This is a historical serial study, in which the images found were analysed through an analysis matrix. Results: During the study, 14 advertisements were found, of which 248 images featured in Fon-Fon magazine. Conclusion: The representations of personal attributes in advertisements help to identify the competition between Nursing Schools regarding the diseemination of the public image of the female nurse.

Background: During the post-Spanish Influenza pandemic period (in the 1920s), nursing manuals used in Brazilian nurses' training recommended Lysol as a hygiene product, a fact that, years later, led to the discussion on its use. Objective: To discuss the content of nursing manuals regarding the recommendation of Lysol in association with the product's advertisements in a weekly social magazine and characterizing the culture of care at the time. Methodology: Historical research using the microhistory approach. Data were collected from nursing manuals and the Digital Hemeroteca of the National Library, covering the period between 1920 and 1929. The data were analyzed using the microanalysis framework. Results: Lysol was used for washing hands and wounds and advertised using health professionals' images. Conclusion:This study contributes to building knowledge in different areas by associating the present with the past.