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.

Sulfanilamid with Soda

ID Number
1985.0475.745
catalog number
1985.0475.745
accession number
1985.0475
1985.0475

Genasprin

date made
ca 1960
ID Number
1980.0182.05
catalog number
1980.0182.05
accession number
1980.0182

St. Joseph Genuine Pure Aspirin

maker
Plough, Inc.
ID Number
1985.0475.109
accession number
1985.0475

Mu-Col

Date made
1923
ID Number
MG.M-10168
catalog number
M-10168
accession number
238391

Pepto-Bismol Mixture Cholera Infantum

Date made
1925
maker
Norwich Pharmacal Company
ID Number
1986.0198.060
accession number
1986.0198

Fink's Magic Oil

maker
Fink's Magic Oil Company
ID Number
MG.M-07243
catalog number
M-07243
accession number
220009

Dr a V Barnes' Ointment of 3

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
MG.M-12140.02
catalog number
M-12140.02
accession number
274347

Bromo Quinine

ID Number
1985.3096.31
catalog number
1985.3096.31
nonaccession number
1985.3096

Wand's Local Anaesthetic

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
MG.239197.19 [dup1]
catalog number
239197.19

Indian Herbs Tablets

ID Number
ZZ.RSN81522N32

Dr Wood's Compound Syrup of Tar

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
MG.M-10242.02
catalog number
M-10242.02
accession number
241520

Dr Hobson's Compound Witch Hazel Salve

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

Kickapoo Salve

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

Chamberlain's Colic, Cholera, and Diarrhoea Remedy

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

Squibb Aspirin

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

Dr. Carter's K. & B. Tea

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

Ennds, 12 Chlorophyll Tablets

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

Ma-Le-Na Worm Tablets

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
after 1910
maker
Malena Company
ID Number
MG.254865.30
accession number
254865
catalog number
254865.30

Bottle

Greenish glass bottle with embossed inscriptions that read "SCHENCK'S / PULMONIC / SYRUP / PHILADA." Tha syrup was on the market by 1865. In 1913, the A.M.A.
Description
Greenish glass bottle with embossed inscriptions that read "SCHENCK'S / PULMONIC / SYRUP / PHILADA." Tha syrup was on the market by 1865. In 1913, the A.M.A. reported that it was “essentially a wintergreen-flavored mixture of saccharin syrups.” In 1914, an attorney for the Southern District of New York, seized and condemned several cases of the pulmonic syrup, claiming they were misbranded in violation of the federal Pure Food and Drug Act.
Ref: Full page ad for J. H. Schenck’s Pulmonic Syrup in New York Times (Nov. 18, 1865), p. 3.
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
MG.65.2072
accession number
256516
catalog number
65.2072

Renne's Pain Killing Magic Oil

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
maker
L. W. Warner & Co., Inc.
ID Number
MG.293320.3192
accession number
293320
catalog number
293320.3192

Wilton's Catarrh Cure

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
maker
Rogers, Fuller & Company
ID Number
MG.293320.1611
catalog number
293320.1611
accession number
293320

Wilton's Catarrh Cure

The indications or uses for this product as provided by the manufacturer are: For the permanent cure of catarrh, headaches, and all nervous pains.This Medicine is taken through a Patent Inhaling Tube, or from the Hand.For Catarrh, Fill the tube with the liquid and insert the bulb
Description
The indications or uses for this product as provided by the manufacturer are: For the permanent cure of catarrh, headaches, and all nervous pains.
This Medicine is taken through a Patent Inhaling Tube, or from the Hand.
For Catarrh, Fill the tube with the liquid and insert the bulb in one nostril, and close the other nostril with the finger, and then snuff as quickly as possible that the liquid may be thrown up high into the head. Repeat the dose til it passes over into the throat. Do this on retiring for the night, and when you get up in the morning. [. . . ]
For Headache, and all Nervous Pain in the Head, Fill the tube as before, and snuff the liquid up the nostrils as high as possible, repeating the dose every few minutes until all pain is removed.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1868 - 1870
maker
Rogers, Fuller and Company
ID Number
MG.293320.3191
accession number
293320
catalog number
293320.3191

Mead's Dextri-Maltose B, with Yeast Extract and Iron

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
collection
Reid Drugstore
maker
Mead Johnson Laboratories
ID Number
1984.0351.138
accession number
1984.0351
catalog number
1984.0351.138

Casec

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
collection
Reid Drugstore
maker
Mead Johnson Laboratories
ID Number
1984.0351.144
accession number
1984.0351
catalog number
1984.0351.144

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