TConfusion with patent medicines begins with the name. This is because patent medicines are rarely patented. Manufacturers just thought it was cool. Bamboo skewers have always been part of the package. From the 17th century, concoctions of water, alcohol, and herbs were sold with outlandish claims and exotic origin stories. In the 1630s, anderson’s pills The recipe was abuzz with dubious claims that it originated in Venice and Anderson’s close relationship with the king. By the 18th century, there were ointments, rags, ointments, and tonics that confidently proclaimed they could cure any ailment.
In fact, the key to the patent drug’s success was its claim to treat everything from “general weakness” to “chafing,” from “malaise” to “weakness of the gastric fibers.” Before administering anesthesia or antibiotics, Distinguishing between bogus medical care and “proper” medical care It was all blurry. When doctors threaten bloodletting, why are we not fooled by the seductive claims of herbal cure-alls?
In the late 19th century, patent medicines were mass-produced, especially in the United States, and the media helped them grow into big business. The advertising industry has cut its teeth and developed its creativity. Advertisements were everywhere, and travel shows broadcast live coverage of bogus drugs. Attention-grabbing, color-printed trade cards were particularly popular, eerily inciting fear and desire, and confirming prejudice. Women are portrayed as ethereal, feeble, simpletons (and “unwomanly” behavior such as having opinions can be cured with the right panacea), and racist images of Native Americans in particular It was used to make things seem “exotic”, authentic, and ancient. .
The cure was often worse than the disease. Infamously, many treatments included opiates and cocaine. They were often targeted at children and infants and contained life-threatening proportions of alcohol. Colden’s Liquid Beef Tonic, which is advertised as treating alcoholism, was 26.5% alcohol by volume. A similar product, Parker Tonic, which is advertised as “purely botanical”, had an astonishing 41.6%. There are no reliable estimates of how many people, especially children, have died as a result of patent remedies, but “many” seems like a safe bet.
Patent medicines declined as people began to realize that unregulated sales of cocaine and opiates might be a bad thing. News organizations have contributed to and profited from the industry’s success (half of advertising revenue came from his 19th century trade). “Thieving” journalists like Samuel Hopkins Adams will hasten its demise. his “America’s big scam” details intimidation, false testimony, and ineffective and deadly ingredients. Regulation by the U.S. Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906 followed. His 1908 Pharmacy Act in Britain limited the content of cocaine, morphine and opium to 1%. With further regulation, only a few treatments now survive in radically relaxed versions, such as: 7Up is now lithium-free.
Did it have any effect? It is rich in effective (over)opiate painkillers. A simpler formulation may be effective for indigestion and iron deficiency, and the placebo effect must have been strong. Doctoral dissertation on Georgian medicine They argued that it is anachronistic to evaluate historical treatments based on modern understandings of their ingredients and effectiveness. Probably so? It’s easy to scoff at the unscrupulous peddlers of snake oil to religious people, but who are we in the age of cures and cures for the equine coronavirus disease? TikTokkers drinking borax How to judge? Counterargument: Opiates should not be given to teething babies.
I need to get back to Dr. Beddington’s tincture of moral decadence, so let’s cut to the chase. Warning: Side effects may include temporary blindness, hallucinations, and hairy wolf palms.
Mrs. Winslow’s Comforting Syrup
You can guess the active ingredients in infant nurse Charlotte Winslow’s syrup just by looking into these toddlers’ eyes. At 65 mg per ounce, morphine (plus alcohol) is thought to be a significant cause of infant mortality. 1.5 million bottles sold annuallyAccording to an 1868 court subpoena, it was denounced by the American Medical Association in 1911 as “.”baby killer”.
pink pills for pale people
As a pale man myself, I yearn to gamble with rosy cheeks across flowering meadows, holding aloft the great iron tube of salvation. You won’t get that from a sachet of Supatone liquid iron that tastes like rusty nails.There are many English advertisements pink pillscreated in Canada in 1886 and sold in Britain until the 1970s, has an Art Nouveau feel. Je ne sais qui requested to be included.
asthma cigarettes
Listen, I know what you’re thinking, but what if I told you that asthma cigarettes contain anticonvulsant ingredients such as: Stramonium, so it was basically like an old inhaler? Still no good?How about I say that? Proust was a fan?Oh, he was a lifelong invalid and died at age 51?? Fair point.
Hunt’s cure
This late 19th century trade card captures the powerful energy of “Not Today Satan.” “Death chose the wrong man in the little pink pants.” Color was one of his patent medicine secret weapons. The color of the packaging was often promoted as proof of authenticity, and advertising was bright and detailed. And Hunt used it all to winning effect. This image should be on the £8 luxury match box. It will sell like hot wafers of opium.
Dr. Thomas Electric Oil
No word is more perfectly coined than the word “science” (obviously capitalizing on the 19th century American craze for electricity). Patent medicines were often sold not only to humans but also to animals, so why aren’t they sold? One of my relatives shared an anti-epileptic drug with his family’s dachshund . Although this kitten looks quite absent-minded,Alcohol, chloroform…opium tincture…hemlock, turpentine oil” I think that would be the case.
Ayres Agoo Cure
“Two worried-looking frogs give a sick crocodile a bottle of Agcure,” the Wellcome Collection says. unimprovable explanation of this ad. Although Agucure boasted that it did not contain quinine, it was rather disappointing as a malaria treatment.Thankfully, it is It was a lie: Contains quinine.
hamlin wizard oil
This is compelling, but confusing. It’s nice that a circus elephant stole Wizard Oil, but why would someone have a slogan painted on their butt? And who are the smartly dressed men with wind instruments? What’s going on on the rooftop? Indeed, Hamlin’s liquor is 50-70% alcohol and contains ammonia and turpentine, so if you drink it, the world will look like this chaotic clown show.
More frog doctors, a recurring and welcome theme in advertisements for patent medicines. I would absolutely buy anything made by this very professional looking duo and would have bought it until a friend theorized that it was “secretions from their own backs”.
Dr. McMann’s
The tone of this 1860s ad is very different. The gray, lifeless-looking sick man is a terrible advertisement for Dr. McMann’s products on his bedside table. She is being nursed by a Spanish monkey Christ-like figure wearing a crinoline, but it’s no wonder things get worse, but there are too many animals and animals around this supposed deathbed. Children are rolling around.Men outside are harvesting quinine and cinchonine, active ingredient. But I think it’s too late.
Vin Mariani
This is more than just cocaine wine. This is Pope-approved cocaine wine. Pope Leo XIII lived to be 93, probably thanks to a hip flask of Vin Mariani’s tonic wine (the “tonic” was 6 mg of coca leaves). Mariani was far ahead of his time in terms of marketing. He sent samples to celebrities who asked for their experiences. he published it.Vinfluencer It contains President William McKinley, President Ulysses S. Grant, President Pius X: Yes, that’s two popes and two presidents. chapeau.
