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.

The indications or uses for this product as provided by the manufacturer are:For headaches, neuralgias, rheumatic and sciatic pains, colds, La Grippe, women's pains, etc; analgesic, antipyretic and anodyneCurrently not on view
Description
The indications or uses for this product as provided by the manufacturer are:
For headaches, neuralgias, rheumatic and sciatic pains, colds, La Grippe, women's pains, etc; analgesic, antipyretic and anodyne
Location
Currently not on view
date made
after 1919
collection
Reid Drugstore
maker
Antikamnia Remedy Company
ID Number
1984.0351.108
accession number
1984.0351
catalog number
1984.0351.108
The indications or uses for this product as provided by the manufacturer are: Useful in relieving Simple Headaches, Simple Neuralgia, Muscular Pains and Aches.Currently not on view
Description
The indications or uses for this product as provided by the manufacturer are: Useful in relieving Simple Headaches, Simple Neuralgia, Muscular Pains and Aches.
Location
Currently not on view
maker
Antikamnia Remedy Company
ID Number
MG.312142.153
catalog number
312142.153
accession number
312142
The indications or uses for this product as provided by the manufacturer are: Useful in relieving simple headaches, simple neuralgia, muscular pains and achesCurrently not on view
Description
The indications or uses for this product as provided by the manufacturer are: Useful in relieving simple headaches, simple neuralgia, muscular pains and aches
Location
Currently not on view
maker
Antikamnia Remedy Company
ID Number
MG.313462.094
accession number
313462
catalog number
313462.094
The indications or uses for this product as provided by the manufacturer are: headaches, neuralgias, rheumatic, sciatic pains, colds, la grippe, women's painsCurrently not on view
Description
The indications or uses for this product as provided by the manufacturer are: headaches, neuralgias, rheumatic, sciatic pains, colds, la grippe, women's pains
Location
Currently not on view
collection
Reid Drugstore
maker
Antikamnia Remedy Company
ID Number
1984.0351.109
accession number
1984.0351
catalog number
1984.0351.109
The indications or uses for this product as provided by the manufacturer are: headaches, neuralgia, muscular pains, achesCurrently not on view
Description
The indications or uses for this product as provided by the manufacturer are: headaches, neuralgia, muscular pains, aches
Location
Currently not on view
maker
Antikamnia Remedy Company
ID Number
1978.0235.297
accession number
1978.0235
catalog number
1978.0235.297
[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
after 1919
maker
Antikamnia Remedy Company
ID Number
1979.0798.136
accession number
1979.0798
catalog number
1979.0798.136
The indications or uses for this product as provided on its packaging: Analgesic, anodyne, antipyretic. Useful in relieving simple headaches, simple neuralgia, muscular pains and aches; tends to reduce temperature in feverish conditions.Currently not on view
Description
The indications or uses for this product as provided on its packaging: Analgesic, anodyne, antipyretic. Useful in relieving simple headaches, simple neuralgia, muscular pains and aches; tends to reduce temperature in feverish conditions.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
after 1919
maker
Antikamnia Remedy Company
ID Number
1980.0698.076
accession number
1980.0698
catalog number
1980.0698.076
The indications or uses for this product as provided on its packaging: For coughs, colds, bronchial and laryngeal affections; for dysmenorrhoea and allied aches; for rheumatic pain, neuralgia, for fever pain generallyCurrently not on view
Description
The indications or uses for this product as provided on its packaging: For coughs, colds, bronchial and laryngeal affections; for dysmenorrhoea and allied aches; for rheumatic pain, neuralgia, for fever pain generally
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
after 1919
maker
Antikamnia Remedy Company
ID Number
1980.0698.075
accession number
1980.0698
catalog number
1980.0698.075
The indications or uses for this product as provided by the manufacturer are: Headaches, muscular pains, aches and simple neuralgia. Also used before and after tooth extraction.Currently not on view
Description
The indications or uses for this product as provided by the manufacturer are: Headaches, muscular pains, aches and simple neuralgia. Also used before and after tooth extraction.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1919-1930
maker
Antikamnia Remedy Company
ID Number
1979.0798.340
accession number
1979.0798
catalog number
1979.0798.340

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