Balm of America: Patent Medicine Collection

Balm of America Banner image, a collection of medicine

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.

Place: Massachusetts

Supertah 10, 2 Ounces

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
2002.0138.121
accession number
2002.0138
catalog number
2002.0138.121

Lydia E. Pinkham's Blood Medicine

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
maker
Lydia E. Pinkham Medicine Company
ID Number
MG.274347.171
catalog number
274347.171
M-12141
accession number
274347

Hi-Vi-Tol (High Vitamin Oil), Halibut Liver Oil, 100 Soluble Gelatin Capsules

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
maker
E. L. Patch Company
ID Number
1985.0481.200
accession number
1985.0481
catalog number
1985.0481.200
accession number
1985.0481

Sanford's Jamaica Ginger

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
maker
Potter Drug and Chemical Corporation
ID Number
2008.3006.170
nonaccession number
2008.3006
catalog number
2008.3006.170

Ayer's Pectoral

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
maker
Dr. J. C. Ayer and Company
ID Number
2008.3006.125
nonaccession number
2008.3006
catalog number
2008.3006.125

Dys-Pep-Lets

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
ca 1910
maker
C. I. Hood and Company
ID Number
1984.0782.055
accession number
1984.0782
catalog number
1984.0782.055

Peruvian Pills

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
MG.388691
catalog number
388691
388691
accession number
182022

Ayer's Cathartic Pills

The indications or uses for this product as provided by the manufacturer are: laxativeCurrently not on view
Description
The indications or uses for this product as provided by the manufacturer are: laxative
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1910-1920
maker
Dr. J. C. Ayer and Company
ID Number
2008.0018.005
accession number
2008.0018
catalog number
2008.0018.005

Dr. Pean's French Pills

The indications or uses for this product as provided by the manufacturer are: For all pale and weak persons.
Description
The indications or uses for this product as provided by the manufacturer are: For all pale and weak persons. These great French pills are endorsed, prescribed and recommended by all the European and American hospitals for the postive cure of nervousness, dizziness and all blood impurities, giving strength and tone to the system in general.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
ca 1898
date made
1898-1906
1898 - 1906
ca 1898
maker
Pean Medical Company
ID Number
1984.0782.147
accession number
1984.0782
catalog number
1984.0782.147

Dr. Pean's French Pills

The indications or uses for this product as provided by the manufacturer are: Nervousness, dizziness and all blood impurities, giving strength and tone to the system in generalCurrently not on view
Description
The indications or uses for this product as provided by the manufacturer are: Nervousness, dizziness and all blood impurities, giving strength and tone to the system in general
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
after 1899
maker
Pean Medical Company
ID Number
1984.0782.148
accession number
1984.0782
catalog number
1984.0782.148

Parsons' Purgative Pills

The indications or uses for this product as provided by the manufacturer are: Impurities of blood, constipation, indigestion, dizziness, liver troubles, sick headacheCurrently not on view
Description
The indications or uses for this product as provided by the manufacturer are: Impurities of blood, constipation, indigestion, dizziness, liver troubles, sick headache
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1908-1918
maker
Dr. I.S. Johnson and Company
ID Number
1984.0782.145
accession number
1984.0782
catalog number
1984.0782.145

Vinol

The indications or uses for this product as provided by the manufacturer are: A tonic for elderly people, children, and weak women and during convalescence.
Description
The indications or uses for this product as provided by the manufacturer are: A tonic for elderly people, children, and weak women and during convalescence. General weakness, simple anemia, physical exhaustion, lack of animation, loss of appetite and in cases in which a good reconstructive tonic is needed.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1920
after 1906
distributor
Chester Kent and Company
ID Number
1984.0782.205
catalog number
1984.0782.205
accession number
1984.0782

Cuticura Pills

The indications or uses for this product as provided by the manufacturer are:A gentle alterative tonic, digestive, and aperient for use in the treatment of skin and scalp affections and for promoting the general healthCurrently not on view
Description
The indications or uses for this product as provided by the manufacturer are:
A gentle alterative tonic, digestive, and aperient for use in the treatment of skin and scalp affections and for promoting the general health
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1910
collection
Reid Drugstore
maker
Potter Drug and Chemical Corporation
ID Number
1984.0351.098
accession number
1984.0351
catalog number
1984.0351.098

Cuticura Resolvent

The indications or uses for this product as provided by the manufacturer are: A GENTLE ALTERNATIVE TONIC DIGESTIVE AND APERIENTCurrently not on view
Description
The indications or uses for this product as provided by the manufacturer are: A GENTLE ALTERNATIVE TONIC DIGESTIVE AND APERIENT
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1917
maker
Potter Drug and Chemical Corporation
ID Number
1985.0481.038
catalog number
1985.0481.038
accession number
1985.0481

Ayer's Cathartic Pills

The indications or uses for this product as provided by the manufacturer are: Para las enfermedades que necesitan Medicinas Purgantes. For illnesses that require purgative medicineCurrently not on view
Description
The indications or uses for this product as provided by the manufacturer are: Para las enfermedades que necesitan Medicinas Purgantes. For illnesses that require purgative medicine
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1910-1920
maker
Dr. J. C. Ayer and Company
ID Number
MG.313462.041
catalog number
313462.41
accession number
313462

Hollis' Jaundice Bitters

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
maker
Thomas Hollis
ID Number
MG.M-10757.035
catalog number
M-10757.035
accession number
256193

Hollis' Jaundice Bitters

maker
Thomas Hollis
ID Number
MG.M-10757.105
catalog number
M-10757.105
accession number
256193

Johnson's American Anodyne Liniment

The indications or uses for this product as provided on its packaging:For coughs, colds, grippy cold, colic, asthmatic distress, bronchial colds, nasal catarrh, cholera morbus, cramps, diarrhea, bruises, common sore throat, burns and scalds, chaps and chafing, chilblains, frost b
Description
The indications or uses for this product as provided on its packaging:
For coughs, colds, grippy cold, colic, asthmatic distress, bronchial colds, nasal catarrh, cholera morbus, cramps, diarrhea, bruises, common sore throat, burns and scalds, chaps and chafing, chilblains, frost bites, muscular rheumatism, soreness, sprains and strains
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
after 1906
maker
I. S. Johnson and Company
ID Number
MG.M-10409.16
catalog number
M-10409
accession number
246707

Hollis' Jaundice Bitters

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
maker
Thomas Hollis
ID Number
MG.M-10757.004
catalog number
M-10757.004
accession number
256193

Hollis' Jaundice Bitters

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
maker
Thomas Hollis
ID Number
MG.M-10757.023
catalog number
M-10757.023
accession number
256193

Hollis' Jaundice Bitters

maker
Thomas Hollis
ID Number
MG.M-10757.079
catalog number
M-10757.079
accession number
256193

Hollis' Jaundice Bitters

maker
Thomas Hollis
ID Number
MG.M-10757.043
catalog number
M-10757.043
accession number
256193

Hollis' Jaundice Bitters

maker
Thomas Hollis
ID Number
MG.M-10757.081
catalog number
M-10757.081
accession number
256193

Hollis' Jaundice Bitters

maker
Thomas Hollis
ID Number
MG.M-10757.067
catalog number
M-10757.067
accession number
256193

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.