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.

Browse
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
maker
Johnson and Johnson
ID Number
MG.314016.006
catalog number
314016.006
date made
1969-1982
maker
Morton - Norwich Products
ID Number
1986.0198.081
accession number
1986.0198
maker
Rucker Pharmacal Company
ID Number
1985.0475.742
catalog number
1985.0475.742
accession number
1985.0475
1985.0475
maker
Tailby-Nason Company
ID Number
1985.0475.569
accession number
1985.0475
maker
B.C. Remedy Company
ID Number
1979.1144.041
accession number
1979.1144
catalog number
1979.1144.041
The indications or uses for this product as provided by the manufacturer are: For healing wire cutsCurrently not on view
Description
The indications or uses for this product as provided by the manufacturer are: For healing wire cuts
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1900
maker
W. F. Berry Medicine Company
ID Number
2014.0010.01
catalog number
2014.0010.01
accession number
2014.0010
maker
Capital Drug Co., Inc.
ID Number
1985.0481.079
catalog number
1985.0481.079
accession number
1985.0481
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
1982.0492.02
accession number
1982.0492
catalog number
1982.0492.02
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
maker
Warner's Safe Remedies Company
ID Number
1978.0883.062
accession number
1978.0883
catalog number
1978.0883.062
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
maker
H. K. Mulford Company
ID Number
2000.0137.059
accession number
2000.0137
catalog number
2000.0137.059
The indications or uses for this product as provided by the manufacturer are: Restores mental alertness and wakefulness when experiencing fatigue or drowsiness.
Description
The indications or uses for this product as provided by the manufacturer are: Restores mental alertness and wakefulness when experiencing fatigue or drowsiness.
Date made
c. 1980
maker
Chilton Labs, Inc.
ID Number
2004.0129.68
accession number
2004.0129
catalog number
2004.0129.68
ID Number
1993.0384.033
catalog number
1993.0384.033
accession number
1993.0384
Date made
1908-1918
maker
Chamberlain Medicine Company
ID Number
MG.M-10768 [dup26]
catalog number
M-10768
accession number
256193
maker
Reese Chemical Company
ID Number
ZZ.RSN81508V03
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
maker
Kaz, Inc.
ID Number
1985.0475.455
accession number
1985.0475
catalog number
1985.0475.455
ID Number
1985.0475.745
catalog number
1985.0475.745
accession number
1985.0475
1985.0475
maker
Plough, Inc.
ID Number
1985.0475.109
accession number
1985.0475
Date made
1925
maker
Norwich Pharmacal Company
ID Number
1986.0198.060
accession number
1986.0198
Useful in the treatment of cuts, bruises, fever, sores, burns, scalds and minor irritations of the skin and scalp.Currently not on view
Description
Useful in the treatment of cuts, bruises, fever, sores, burns, scalds and minor irritations of the skin and scalp.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1930
maker
Pfeiffer Chemical Company
ID Number
1981.0219.064
accession number
1981.0219
catalog number
1981.0219.064
The indications or uses for this product as provided by the manufacturer are: useful in ringworm, itch, chronic scaly eczemaCurrently not on view
Description
The indications or uses for this product as provided by the manufacturer are: useful in ringworm, itch, chronic scaly eczema
Location
Currently not on view
date made
after 1917
maker
Kickapoo Indian Medicine Company
ID Number
MG.293320.3193
accession number
293320
catalog number
293320.3193
The indications or uses for this product as provided by the manufacturer are: Remedy for Colic, Cholera, and Diarrhea.Currently not on view
Description
The indications or uses for this product as provided by the manufacturer are: Remedy for Colic, Cholera, and Diarrhea.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1882-1906
maker
Chamberlain Medicine Company
ID Number
2008.3006.123
nonaccession number
2008.3006
catalog number
2008.3006.123
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
maker
Squibb Laboratories
ID Number
1985.0475.112
accession number
1985.0475
catalog number
1985.0475.112
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
before 1898
trademark registration date (by The Brown Medicine Company)
1898-02-08
ID Number
ZZ.RSN80518R25
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
maker
Pearson Pharmacal Company
ID Number
1985.0475.422
accession number
1985.0475
catalog number
1985.0475.422
accession number
1985.0475

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