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.

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More Information
Learn more about patent medicine history and how this history is revealed in examples from our collection. Questions or comments? Contact us.

Topic: Catarrh, Cough & Cold Drugs

S. B. Goff's Cough Syrup

The indications or uses for this product as provided by the manufacturer are:For coughs, colds, hoarseness, tickling and soreness of the throat, bronchitis, bronchial asthma, whooping cough and spasmodic coughCurrently not on view
Description
The indications or uses for this product as provided by the manufacturer are:
For coughs, colds, hoarseness, tickling and soreness of the throat, bronchitis, bronchial asthma, whooping cough and spasmodic cough
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
after 1906
maker
S. B. Goff and Sons Company
ID Number
MG.293320.1303
catalog number
293320.1303
accession number
293320

Drake Cough Syrup

The indications or uses for this product as provided by the manufacturer are:CoughCurrently not on view
Description
The indications or uses for this product as provided by the manufacturer are:
Cough
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
after 1906
maker
Drake Remedy Company
ID Number
MG.293320.1312
catalog number
293320.1312
accession number
293320

Brown's Troches

The indications or uses for this product as provided by the manufacturer are: For temporary alleviation of the cough which accompanies minor bronchial and throat irritations, loss of voice, and hoarseness, due to colds, Smoker's throat, and irritation caused by dust particlesCurr
Description
The indications or uses for this product as provided by the manufacturer are: For temporary alleviation of the cough which accompanies minor bronchial and throat irritations, loss of voice, and hoarseness, due to colds, Smoker's throat, and irritation caused by dust particles
Location
Currently not on view
maker
Lafayette Drug Company, Inc
ID Number
MG.313462.019
catalog number
313462.19
accession number
313462

Ramon's English Cough Syrup

The indications or uses for this product as provided by the manufacturer are: For coughs, colds, bronchitis, and all throat and lung troublesCurrently not on view
Description
The indications or uses for this product as provided by the manufacturer are: For coughs, colds, bronchitis, and all throat and lung troubles
Location
Currently not on view
maker
Brown MFG, Co.
ID Number
MG.254865.10
accession number
254865
catalog number
254865.10

Microzone

The indications or uses for this product as provided on its packaging:For difficult breathing, headache, neuralgia, sore throat, tonsilitis, asthma, bronchitis, earache, deafness, catarrhCurrently not on view
Description
The indications or uses for this product as provided on its packaging:
For difficult breathing, headache, neuralgia, sore throat, tonsilitis, asthma, bronchitis, earache, deafness, catarrh
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
ca 1920
maker
Microzone Company
ID Number
MG.M-10409.05
catalog number
M-10409
accession number
246707

Proctor's Pinelyptus Pastilles

The indications or uses for this product as provided by the manufacturer are: For voice, throat and chestCurrently not on view
Description
The indications or uses for this product as provided by the manufacturer are: For voice, throat and chest
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
19th Century
maker
Proctor's Pinelyptus Depot
ID Number
MG.293320.1349
catalog number
293320.1349
accession number
293320

DeWitt's Vaporizing Balm

The indications or uses for this product as provided by the manufacturer are:To sooth nasal passagesCurrently not on view
Description
The indications or uses for this product as provided by the manufacturer are:
To sooth nasal passages
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
ca 1950
maker
E. C. DeWitt and Company
ID Number
MG.293320.1318
catalog number
293320.1318
accession number
293320

Sirop-Sulfo-Phenique

The indications or uses for this product as provided by the manufacturer are:Chronic cases of catarrh, asthma, rheumatism, skin diseasesCurrently not on view
Description
The indications or uses for this product as provided by the manufacturer are:
Chronic cases of catarrh, asthma, rheumatism, skin diseases
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
after 1878
maker
Declat Manufacturing Company
J. Milhau's Son
ID Number
MG.293320.1277
catalog number
293320.1277
accession number
293320

Lightning Cough Drops

The indications or uses for this product as provided on its packaging:An expectorant cough syrup for coughs, colds, croup, consumption and all pulmonary diseases. For bronchitis, sore throat, catarrh, whooping cough, asthma.Currently not on view
Description
The indications or uses for this product as provided on its packaging:
An expectorant cough syrup for coughs, colds, croup, consumption and all pulmonary diseases. For bronchitis, sore throat, catarrh, whooping cough, asthma.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
ca 1900
maker
Herb Medicine Company
ID Number
MG.M-10414.06
catalog number
M-10414
accession number
246707

Schiffmann's Concentrated Expectorant

The indications or uses for this product as provided by the manufacturer are:For diseases of the throat, bronchial tubes and lungs, including bronchial asthma, bronchitis, coughs, colds, croup and hoarsenessCurrently not on view
Description
The indications or uses for this product as provided by the manufacturer are:
For diseases of the throat, bronchial tubes and lungs, including bronchial asthma, bronchitis, coughs, colds, croup and hoarseness
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
after 1918
maker
R. J. Schiffmann
ID Number
MG.293320.1383
catalog number
293320.1383
accession number
293320

Renne's Magic Oil

The indications or uses for this product as provided by the manufacturer are: Colic, cholera morbus, cramps and pain in the stomach, cholera, coughs, colds, croup, sore throat, dyspepsia, diarrhea, fever and ague, kidney difficulty, pleurisy, acid stomach, indigestion, headache,
Description
The indications or uses for this product as provided by the manufacturer are: Colic, cholera morbus, cramps and pain in the stomach, cholera, coughs, colds, croup, sore throat, dyspepsia, diarrhea, fever and ague, kidney difficulty, pleurisy, acid stomach, indigestion, headache, sea sickness, rheumatism, neuralgia, sprains, lameness, sciatica, toothache, earache, catarrh, frost bites.
Location
Currently not on view
maker
William Renne and Sons
ID Number
MG.293320.1354
catalog number
293320.1354
accession number
293320

Dr Johnson's Catarrh and Headache Cure

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
c. 1890
maker
J.G. Johnson
ID Number
MG.M-10719.23
catalog number
M-10719
accession number
254860

Sines' Syrup of Tar, Wild Cherry and Hoarhound

The indications or uses for this product as provided by the manufacturer are: For coughs, colds and all pulminory ... umption. Whooping cough, CroupCurrently not on view
Description
The indications or uses for this product as provided by the manufacturer are: For coughs, colds and all pulminory ... umption. Whooping cough, Croup
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
c. 1906
date made
after 1906
maker
Sines Medicine Company
ID Number
MG.254865.38
accession number
254865
catalog number
254865.38

Oxy Swift-Acting Cough Syrup

The indications or uses for this product as provided by the manufacturer are: To relieve ordinary coughs due to colds.Currently not on view
Description
The indications or uses for this product as provided by the manufacturer are: To relieve ordinary coughs due to colds.
Location
Currently not on view
maker
O. H. D. Company, Inc.
ID Number
MG.M-09910
catalog number
M-09910
accession number
238503

Kodol Nerve Tonic

The indications or uses for this product as provided by the manufacturer are:For languid, listless, lifeless feeling. As a general constitutional remedy, and as a blood purifying tonic.
Description
The indications or uses for this product as provided by the manufacturer are:
For languid, listless, lifeless feeling. As a general constitutional remedy, and as a blood purifying tonic. For inflammation of the mucous membranes of the throat, lungs or bronchial tubes, and for coughs and colds. For neuralgia or acute pains.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1900
maker
E. C. DeWitt and Company
ID Number
MG.M-10426.68
catalog number
M-10426
accession number
246707

Bull's Cough Syrup

The indications or uses for this product as provided by the manufacturer are:Coughs, colds, hoarseness, bronchitis, grippe cough, croup, whooping cough and measles cough; also to relieve cough of asthmatic and consumptive patients in incipient or advanced stages of their diseaseC
Description
The indications or uses for this product as provided by the manufacturer are:
Coughs, colds, hoarseness, bronchitis, grippe cough, croup, whooping cough and measles cough; also to relieve cough of asthmatic and consumptive patients in incipient or advanced stages of their disease
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
after 1906
maker
A. C. Meyer and Company
ID Number
MG.293320.1189
catalog number
293320.1189
accession number
293320

King's Discovery

The indications or uses for this product as provided by the manufacturer are: For consumption, coughs, colds and all diseases of the throat, chest and lungs.Currently not on view
Description
The indications or uses for this product as provided by the manufacturer are: For consumption, coughs, colds and all diseases of the throat, chest and lungs.
Location
Currently not on view
maker
H.E. Bucklen and Company
ID Number
MG.293320.1239
accession number
293320
catalog number
293320.1239

Dr. King's New Discovery for Consumption

The indications or uses for this product as provided on its packaging:By taking the contents of this small bottle, you will readily perceive the remarkable curative qualities of this great New Discovery for Consumption, Coughs, Colds, and all Diseases of the Throat, Chest and Lun
Description
The indications or uses for this product as provided on its packaging:
By taking the contents of this small bottle, you will readily perceive the remarkable curative qualities of this great New Discovery for Consumption, Coughs, Colds, and all Diseases of the Throat, Chest and Lungs, which will convince you of its wonderful merits, and show you what can be done by a regular one dollar size bottle. Give it a trial. Dose for adults one teaspoonful every three hours.
Proprietary (patent) medicine makers employed a wide array of advertising and marketing techniques to sell their products. The free sample, or trial size, was one of these. Dr. King's New Discovery, developed by Dr. Z. L. King of Elkhart, Indianna, was purchased by Herbert E. Bucklen around 1878. Bucklen spent lavishly on advertising which brought national recognition to his New Discovery and other medicines.
date made
ca 1905
maker
H.E. Bucklen and Company
ID Number
MG.293320.1237
accession number
293320
catalog number
293320.1237

Sargon

The indications or uses for this product as provided by the manufacturer are: To reduce phlegm and coughCurrently not on view
Description
The indications or uses for this product as provided by the manufacturer are: To reduce phlegm and cough
Location
Currently not on view
Maker
Sargon Products
maker
Sargon Products, Inc.
ID Number
MG.274347.223
catalog number
274347.223
M-12141
accession number
274347

Dr. King's New Discovery for Consumption

The indications or uses for this product as provided by the manufacturer are:For consumption, coughs, colds and all diseases of the throat, chest and lungsCurrently not on view
Description
The indications or uses for this product as provided by the manufacturer are:
For consumption, coughs, colds and all diseases of the throat, chest and lungs
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
ca 1900
ID Number
MG.293320.1240
accession number
293320
catalog number
293320.1240

Dr. Lawrence's Cough Balsam

The indications or uses for this product as provided by the manufacturer are: For Cougs, Colds, Hoarseness, Sore Throat, Tightness or Soreness of the Chest, Whooping Cough, Bronchitis, Croup, an all inflammation of the Chest and Lungs.Currently not on view
Description
The indications or uses for this product as provided by the manufacturer are: For Cougs, Colds, Hoarseness, Sore Throat, Tightness or Soreness of the Chest, Whooping Cough, Bronchitis, Croup, an all inflammation of the Chest and Lungs.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
c. 1870-1905
maker
Dr. A. A. Lawrence and Company
ID Number
MG.M-10766 [dup14]
catalog number
M-10766
accession number
256193

Dr. Fuller's Electro Spiral Magnetic Vegetable Vapor Cure

The indications or uses for this product as provided on its packaging:For headache; neuralgia; catarrh; hoarseness; asthma; hay fever; colds in the head; pleurisy and sciatica; nervous headache; dizziness; clouded memory; loss of nerve power, and all diseases of the mucous membra
Description
The indications or uses for this product as provided on its packaging:
For headache; neuralgia; catarrh; hoarseness; asthma; hay fever; colds in the head; pleurisy and sciatica; nervous headache; dizziness; clouded memory; loss of nerve power, and all diseases of the mucous membrane
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1888-1906
maker
Fuller and Fuller
ID Number
MG.M-12151.07
catalog number
M-12151.07
accession number
271464

Sa-Yo Italian Mint Jujubes

The indications or uses for this product as provided by the manufacturer are:For coughs and throat irritationsCurrently not on view
Description
The indications or uses for this product as provided by the manufacturer are:
For coughs and throat irritations
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
ca 1897
maker
Wallace and Company
ID Number
MG.293320.1361
catalog number
293320.1361
accession number
293320

Ballard's Horehound Syrup

The indications or uses for this product as provided by the manufacturer are: For the instant relief and certain cure of consumption, coughs, colds, asthma, dry hacking cough, loss of voice, irritation of the throat, soreness of the chest, spitting of blood, croup, influenza, lun
Description
The indications or uses for this product as provided by the manufacturer are: For the instant relief and certain cure of consumption, coughs, colds, asthma, dry hacking cough, loss of voice, irritation of the throat, soreness of the chest, spitting of blood, croup, influenza, lung fever, whooping cough, &c.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
after 1885
maker
James F. Ballard
Ballard Snow Liniment Co.
ID Number
MG.M-10719.03
catalog number
M-10719
accession number
254860

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