By John Panella and Joe Widman
DO YOU HAVE A COUGH? We have the cure and then some! We actually have so many cures for so many illnesses you’ll be just fine, trust us. In the 1870s most of America knew the medical use of perhaps a dozen psychoactive drugs that were readily available and stocked in volume across the country, especially regional urban hubs. Physicians, lacking effective medications and knowing very little about the physiological bases of disease, could at best only relieve symptoms. Opiates, as they had from ancient times, stood head and shoulders above other medicinal agents of relief. Opium relieved pain, induced sleep, reduced all muscle spasms, checked diarrhea, relieved headache and quieted the patient, always in an effective and pleasant, relaxing manner. Opiates were always a panacea. Laudanum, the traditional name of an alcoholic tincture of opium, reflected its stature among the medical community, meaning “to be praised.” The public, looking for relief, knew a panacea is what was needed. Opiates covered all the bases when it came to relief. The side effects of addiction were underemphasized because they were very anti-marketing and sales. The pharmaceutical industry of the era thrived. Addiction was an unfortunate but secondary consideration. Laissez-faire governmental attitudes allowed for the free sale and marketing of narcotics as part of a growing and prospering nation. In 1807, chemists isolated morphine, the active principle of opium, which initiated a remarkable series of discoveries that expanded the traditional store of plantderived drugs. By the 1850s ether, chloroform and chloral hydrate had armed the surgeon with effective anesthetics. By
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Antique Bottle & Glass Collector
the 1880s bromides had begun to replace traditional sedatives. Bayer patented both aspirin and heroin in the United States, back-to-back right around the turn of the century. Aspirin was a mild fever reducer and pain killer that had the headache market conquered. Heroin, also a major pain and cough reliever, was sold in tandem with Bayer’s new product line. As a fan of product labels on bottles, and the original containers they were sold in, and their advertising and testimonials, I feel there isn’t much more to discuss here. We are presenting a Medicine Chest column where truly, “The label tells the story,” while advertising, trade cards and testimonials say the rest. We present some eye candy here for the historian and patent medicine collector. Cures, their labels, their claims, and their contents are shown, with no extensive product histories, so that the reader can easily get the picture, the best of the best. Enjoy the view.
A CLOSER LOOK AT PATENT MEDICINES In this segment we are looking at effective over-the-counter cough medicines. We intend to delve into other patent medicines for different ailments in the next Medicine Chest column. Different ailments dictate different medical formulas, or do they? By investigating the labels and cartons, and the advertising and marketing of different medicinal compounds, we continue to see the use of the same substances over and over again. All were claiming to cure or remedy a variety of the ills of mankind. Are we simply creating medicines to distract the patient or to remedy the complaint? The use of stimulants, alcohol being the primary one, along with compounds and
TOP: A beautiful, labeled, Acker's English Remedy bottle. Warranted to cure all throat & lung diseases. Gordon Hugi collection BOTTOM: Labeled bottle and box for Linden Cough Balsam. Ingredients included alcohol, cannabis, chloroform, antimony. Gordon Hugi collection
