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.

The indications or uses for this product as provided by the manufacturer are:Acts on stomach, kidneys, liver and bowelsCurrently not on view
Description
The indications or uses for this product as provided by the manufacturer are:
Acts on stomach, kidneys, liver and bowels
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
ca 1930
maker
A. H. Lewis Medicine Company
ID Number
MG.293320.1258
accession number
293320
catalog number
293320.1258
The indications or uses for this product as provided by the manufacturer are:For rheumatism, neuralgia, headache, sprains, bruises, scalds, toothache, lame back, bites and stings of insectsCurrently not on view
Description
The indications or uses for this product as provided by the manufacturer are:
For rheumatism, neuralgia, headache, sprains, bruises, scalds, toothache, lame back, bites and stings of insects
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
after 1901
maker
A. H. Lewis Medicine Company
ID Number
MG.293320.1262
accession number
293320
catalog number
293320.1262
The indications or uses for this product as provided by the manufacturer are:Works on the stomach, liver, kidneys and bowels. Cures constipation.Currently not on view
Description
The indications or uses for this product as provided by the manufacturer are:
Works on the stomach, liver, kidneys and bowels. Cures constipation.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
after 1906
Associated Name
A. H. Lewis Medicine Co.
maker
A. H. Lewis Medicine Company
ID Number
MG.293320.1261
accession number
293320
catalog number
293320.1261
The indications or uses for this product as provided by the manufacturer are: A vegetable compound for defective elimination in constipation, biliousnessCurrently not on view
Description
The indications or uses for this product as provided by the manufacturer are: A vegetable compound for defective elimination in constipation, biliousness
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
ca 1930
date made
before 1928
Associated Name
A. H. Lewis Medicine Co.
maker
A. H. Lewis Medicine Company
ID Number
1979.0798.384
accession number
1979.0798
catalog number
1979.0798.384

Our collection database is a work in progress. We may update this record based on further research and review. Learn more about our approach to sharing our collection online.

If you would like to know how you can use content on this page, see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use. If you need to request an image for publication or other use, please visit Rights and Reproductions.