Medicine Chest: Do You Have a Cough?

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 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

TOP LEFT: Piso's Cure for Consumption label and color variants. TOP RIGHT: Glyco Heroin - surely the most effective cough remedy ever made. Pint and rare sample size. LEFT: Colorful box for Hayes' Healing Compound. MIDDLE: Hayes' Healing Compound bottle with wonderful, colorful, graphics. From the Lax-Fos Company Inc., Paducah, KY. RIGHT: Interesting tradecard for Brown's Household Panacea. Gordon Hugi collection

By John Panella and Joe Widman

narcotics, were specifically meant to act as panaceas or cure-alls. When we look at different ailments and compare their resolution with the over-the-counter nostrums we discuss, it’s quite interesting. We see the same substances popping up time and time again.

Are we simply masking the symptoms? Look at each nostrum and figure out their similarities and differences, and their claims. Testimonials, packaging and labels on bottles attest to the commonality of their formulas.

The Golden Age Of Patent Medicines lasted from the mid-19th century into the first quarter of the 20th century. By today’s standards, Americans knew very little about human physiology, biochemistry and endocrinology. They looked for quick solutions for misunderstood medical problems. Doctors, when available, were not always to be trusted. Hospitals, where available, were considered as places where people went to die. Patent medicines, as you’ll learn in our investigations and comparisons, offered quick, convenient and inexpensive relief from arthritis, depression and medical illness, as well as women’s problems, indigestion, liver and kidney problems, heart issues and even lack of hair growth.

A preliminary conclusion is that alcohol was an essential ingredient in assisting and relieving these and many other health complaints. Alcohol was present in almost every nostrum.

Many concoctions were fortified with alcohol, chloroform, cannabis indica extract, chloral, opiates like morphine and heroin, and, of course, cocaine. Sadly, many of these remedies were advertised for infants and children. Parents, often seeking safe remedies for their babies from wind colic or fussiness, often administered these remedies with tragic results. Remedies available for every ailment were sold to the public and claimed to prevent or cure every disease known to man.

ADVERTISING

The Proprietary Association, a trade group of medicine producers, was founded in 1881. The association was greatly aided by the press, which had grown dependent on the revenue received from cure advertising. A pivotal event occurred when North Dakota passed a limited disclosure law, which included patent medicines. Proprietary Association members voted to remove their advertising from all state newspapers.

With strong support from President Theodore Roosevelt, a Pure Food & Drug Act was passed by congress in 1906. It paved the way for public health action against unlabeled or unsafe ingredients, misleading advertising and the practice of quackery and similar rackets. From the beginning, some physicians and medical societies were critical of patent medicines. They argued against their “secret formulas,” the fact that they did not cure illness, that they discouraged the sick from seeking legitimate treatments, and caused alcohol and drug dependency.

Increased governmental regulations brought about the end of the patent medicine era. Although patent medicines continued to be produced after that date, new and stricter regulations demanded that ingredients be printed on labels, false claims be abandoned, and advertising become more truthful.

In next month’s Medicine Chest we will review other “eye candy” patent medicine survivors that speak for themselves with one look at the label, advertising and packaging. We have tried to procure the best specimens to serve this purpose. Clearly outrageous graphics in advertis-

TOP: Labeled bottle and box for Doctor Macalister's Cough Mixture. Bottle contained cannabis, chloroform, and alcohol. Collection of Gordon Hugi BOTTOM: A rare labeled Heroin bottle by Bayer, circa 1900.

TOP LEFT: A later automatic bottle machine variant of Piso's. This is the only known example having both front and back labels. Gordon Hugi collection TOP MIDDLE: The rear label of the same Piso's bottle. Gordon Hugi collection TOP RIGHT: Reverse side of a Dr. Call's tradecard. FAR LEFT: Glyco-Heroin (Smith), mint with fairly readable label. NEAR LEFT: Open pontiled, labeled, Hurd's Cough Balsam bottle. ABOVE: Piso's color run with label variations.

By John Panella and Joe Widman

ing, ingredients and marketing style will reveal some more interesting quack remedies which we love to collect and analyze. It’s all about the evolution of medicine and history. Remember, without history we continue to repeat the sometimes fatal mistakes of the past over and over.

Won’t you join us for another display of great bottles, readable labels, quack claims and educational experiences which make this study so absorbing and interesting. Get ready for some of the best.

Looking forward to our next installment, rheumatism and pain remedies should do the trick next month. Open your eyes and see the light of day, we know you’ll enjoy this next walk through our history of medicines.

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Credits: This would not have been possible without the help of fellow patent medicine collectors too numerous to mention. Their inspiring communications and contributions to blogs has inspired the research and photographs used in this column.

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Special thanks goes to Gordon Hugi of Rough and Ready, California, and his magnificent collection of labeled quack remedies and cures. From the beginning this has been a joint venture.

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Photo credits: Unless otherwise noted, images from the collection of the author, John Panella.

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TOP LEFT: Piso's Remedy - a rare carton adopted in 1910. TOP RIGHT: An interesting grouping of labeled morphine sulphate bottles. BOTTOM: One Night Cough Cure! word puzzle.

TOP LEFT: Highly graphical tradecard for Mrs. Dinsmore's Cough Balsam. A one-day, one-minute cure! Gordon Hugi collection TOP MIDDLE: Mrs. Dinsmore's Balsam bottle, Lynn, Mass. Gordon Hugi collection TOP RIGHT: Father Di Ielsi's Cough Medicine bottle from Camden, N.J., showing a priest on the label. Ingredients contained morphine sulphate, alcohol, chloroform, and ether. FAR LEFT: Labeled Brown's Household Panacea bottle. Gordon Hugi collection NEAR LEFT: Rare large-size Piso's Cure. ABOVE: 1904 Piso's Cure jigsaw-puzzle.

WANTED!

Irresponsible collector willing to pay reasonable prices for:

Attractive, bubble-filled snuf jars, pretty snuff jars, or unusual snuff jars

Ralph & Janet Finch, 34007 Hillside Ct., Farmington Hills, Mich. 48335 or e-mail rfinch@twmi.rr.com, or janloik@yahoo.com.

Over 125 examples of cures and bitters from common to rare will be auctioned. The collection includes many examples of other bottles and related gathered over a 40 year period. Approximately 300 + lots will be sold absolute at no minimum and no buyers premium. Hospitality Buffet provided.

Pictures and information posted at www.PlossAuction.com

Auction Preview Nov. 7, 8am, or by appointment

WANTED!

PAINTED-LABEL (ACL) BOTTLES from Thatcher Glass in Elmira, NY.

Looking for company sample bottles that had square painted label of one color on the front. Says Thatcher Glass, Elmira, N.Y. on the back.

I have several different ones, looking for more!

Also looking for pictured Lion's Club bottle from Pennsylvania, and Brockway bottle from Oklahoma, as well.

If you have or know someone who has some, I would appreciate contacting me.

Thank you.

David Meinz 407-854-8108 David@DavidMeinz.com