Balm of America: Patent Medicine Collection

About the Collection
The Smithsonian Institution began to collect objects related to health and medicine in 1881. It first obtained examples of patent medicines in 1930, acquiring packages of Haarlem Oil (or Dutch Drops), Dr. John Hooper’s Female Pills, and Roche’s Herbal Embrocation. Since then the Smithsonian’s collection of patent medicines has expanded to over 4,000 products, dating from the 19th century to the present day.

About this Object Group
This group of objects features examples from this collection, found in the Division of Medicine and Science at the National Museum of American History. Each entry includes a photo of the object, the product’s name, maker’s name, place of manufacture, and a date range. Ingredients and therapeutic claims are included when indicated on the product packaging.

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Browse the collection by therapeutic category. You can also use the keyword search (at right) which searches all fields of information.

More Information
Learn more about patent medicine history and how this history is revealed in examples from our collection. Questions or comments? Contact us.

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
after 1878
after 1891
maker
Paris Medicine Company
ID Number
2008.3006.163
nonaccession number
2008.3006
catalog number
2008.3006.163
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
maker
Paris Medicine Company
ID Number
MG.314016.022
accession number
314016
catalog number
314016.022
The indications or uses for this product as provided by the manufacturer are: Strengthens the whole system by eliminating poisonous waste and purifying and enriching the blood.Currently not on view
Description
The indications or uses for this product as provided by the manufacturer are: Strengthens the whole system by eliminating poisonous waste and purifying and enriching the blood.
Location
Currently not on view
maker
Paris Medicine Company
ID Number
1979.0798.533
accession number
1979.0798
catalog number
1979.0798.533
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
maker
Paris Medicine Company
ID Number
1980.0678.31
catalog number
1980.0678.31
accession number
1980.0678
The indications or uses for this product as provided on its packaging:For coughs, colds, and spasmodic croup; relieves ordinary sore throatCurrently not on view
Description
The indications or uses for this product as provided on its packaging:
For coughs, colds, and spasmodic croup; relieves ordinary sore throat
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
ca 1920
maker
Paris Medicine Company
ID Number
MG.M-10426.21
catalog number
M-10426
accession number
246707
The indications or uses for this product as provided by the manufacturer are: scratches, cracked heel, halter burns, old sores, collar and saddle galls, barbed wire cuts and dog mangeCurrently not on view
Description
The indications or uses for this product as provided by the manufacturer are: scratches, cracked heel, halter burns, old sores, collar and saddle galls, barbed wire cuts and dog mange
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1900 - 1950
before 1934
1894 - 1934
maker
Paris Medicine Company
ID Number
1984.0782.161
accession number
1984.0782
catalog number
1984.0782.161
The indications or uses for this product as provided on its packaging:An antiseptic surgical dressing.
Description
The indications or uses for this product as provided on its packaging:
An antiseptic surgical dressing. Applicable for cuts, burns, bruises, itch, corns, bunions, bites and stings of insects, sunburn, frost bite, chapped hands and lips, wounds, and sores of the mucous membrane and skin.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1900
maker
Paris Medicine Company
ID Number
1989.0711.41
accession number
1989.0711
catalog number
1989.0711.41
The indications or uses for this product as provided by the manufacturer are: The only headache remedy that does not weaken the heart. A perfect substitute for coffee as a beverage for those who are made nervous by the use of ordinary coffee.
Description
The indications or uses for this product as provided by the manufacturer are: The only headache remedy that does not weaken the heart. A perfect substitute for coffee as a beverage for those who are made nervous by the use of ordinary coffee. The aromatic oil and tannic acid, which disagrees with the stomach, has been eliminated. In other words, this concentrated extract contains all the good of coffee without the bad, combined with pepsin to predigest the coffee and at the same time to assist digestion.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1915
maker
Paris Medicine Company
ID Number
2008.0062.12
accession number
2008.0062
catalog number
2008.0062.12
[No indications or uses for this product are provided on its packaging.]Currently not on view
Description
[No indications or uses for this product are provided on its packaging.]
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
ca 1920
maker
Paris Medicine Company
ID Number
1980.0698.064
accession number
1980.0698
catalog number
1980.0698.064
[No indications or uses for this product are provided on its packaging.]Currently not on view
Description
[No indications or uses for this product are provided on its packaging.]
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
ca 1900
1891-1934
maker
Paris Medicine Company
ID Number
1980.0698.090
accession number
1980.0698
catalog number
1980.0698.090
The indications or uses for this product as provided by the manufacturer are: Laxative. A preparation for colds. Relieves also the feverish conditions and headache, which are usually associated with colds.
Description
The indications or uses for this product as provided by the manufacturer are: Laxative. A preparation for colds. Relieves also the feverish conditions and headache, which are usually associated with colds. The second or third dose will relieve the headache and will move the bowels in 8 or 10 hours. In treating colds it is very important that the bowels should move well every day. This preparation moves the bowels gently without griping.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
ca 1930
maker
Paris Medicine Company
ID Number
1979.0798.366
accession number
1979.0798
catalog number
1979.0798.366
[No indications or uses for this product are provided on its packaging.]Currently not on view
Description
[No indications or uses for this product are provided on its packaging.]
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1891-1934
maker
Paris Medicine Company
ID Number
1980.0698.091
accession number
1980.0698
catalog number
1980.0698.091

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