Alan Mays' photos with the keyword: patent medicines

An elaborate nineteenth-century advertising trade card for Buchu-Paiba, a patent medicine that supposedly cured kidney, bladder, and urinary diseases. Buchu-Paiba "'Buchu-Paiba,' quick, complete cure [for] all annoying kidney diseases, $1." Words in the water: "Rescued from kidney and bladder affections." Flags: "Rough on Rats" and "Wells' Health Renewer." "Mayer, Merkel & Ottmann, Lith., N.Y." Excerpts from the ads printed on the back of the card: "Mother Swan's Worm Syrup. For fever, restlessness, worms, constipation. Tasteless. Perfectly harmless, but the most effective worm destroyer extant." "Rough on Rats. 15c boxes. Clears out rats, mice, roaches, flies, mosquitos, bed bugs, insects, skunk, weasel gophers, chipmunks, moles, musk rats, etc." "Wells' Rough on Corns. Complete cure." "'Bucha-Paiba.' Quick, complete cure, all annoying kidney and urinary diseases. $1.00 at druggists." "E. S. Wells, manufacturer and proprietor, Jersey City, N.J. U.S.A."

What would be a good name for the "largest horse in the world," a Percheron owned by Dr. L. D. LeGear, whose company manufactured patent veterinary medicines in the early twentieth century? Well, how about "Dr. LeGear"? That wouldn't confuse anybody, would it? Dr. LeGear Largest horse in the world. 21 hands high, weight 2995 pounds. Owned by Dr. L. D. LeGear Medicine Co., St. Louis, Mo. Mfrs. Dr. LeGear's Stock and Poultry Remedies. "One for every ailment." Printed on the back of the postcard: "Dr. LeGear" the giant horse is a beautiful dapple seal brown Persheron gelding 21 hands high, takes a 32-inch collar, is perfectly proportioned, absolutely sound, weighed May 1, 1913, 2995 pounds, and is valued at $25,000.00. Owned by Dr. L. D. LeGear Medicine Co., St. Louis, Mo., m'f'g's. Dr. LeGear's Stock and Poultry Remedies.

"Gas on Stomach for 20 Years. Exercies to help constipation (page 8). What to eat (page 12)." Constipated? Bloated? Nauseated by ads that discuss such topics? Then this small 1930s advertising booklet is for you! It discusses the benefits of Adlerika, a patent medicine that contained Epson salts and other ingredients with laxative properties. Do you suffer from other afflictions that you'd rather not discuss in mixed company? Then you only have to flip this reversible booklet over to read about the vitality of Vinol (see the cover on the other side below).

"No Man Loves a Tired Nervous Woman! Nor does a woman love a pepless man. How to get friends (page 9). How to hold your husband's love (page 12)." Are you tired, nervous, or--ahem!--pepless? If so, then you would surely benefit from reading this small 1930s advertising booklet. It extols the virtues of Vinol, a patent medicine that contained ingredients such as cod liver oil and beef peptones, plus alcohol (as much as 15 percent). Do you suffer from other unpleasant afflictions instead? Then you merely need to flip over this reversible booklet (similar to an upside-down book or a tête-bêche binding) to read about the wonders of Adlerika (see the cover on the other side below).

"Electricity in a Bottle. Cures catarrh, hay fever, headache, asthma, neuralgia. Price, $1.00. The West Electric Cure Co., Chicago, Ills." A die-cut advertising trade card for an electrifying patent medicine.

"Aeroplane Headache Tablets make headaches fly. 3 for 5¢. (Trade Mark Reg. U.S. Patent Office.) Phone, South 694."

"McNeil's Pain Exterminator, liver and blood pills. The J. X. Quigley Co., proprietors, Harrisburg, Pa."

Front and back of a small folded advertisement for Wier's Lemon Seltzer that also includes a chronology of the Spanish-American War, which took place in 1898 (the year "1899" above the "Historical Events in the Spanish-American War" heading is apparently either a typo or is intended to show when the ad was published). -------- Wier's Lemon Seltzer Cures Headaches &c. Before, after. 10c. -------- 1899. Historical Events in the Spanish-American War. Jan. 25.--Capt. Sigabee arrived at Havana with Battleship Maine. Feb. 7.--DeLome letter made public. Feb. 15.--Battleship Maine blown up, 206 officers and men lost their lives. Mar. 5.--Spain asked the recall of Gen. Lee. Mar. 16.--Congress voted $50,000,000 for National Defense. Apr. 4.--Navy Dept. ordered purchase of 10 crusiers. Apr. 9.--Gen. Lee returned from American consuls. Apr. 12.--Ultimatum to Spain to withdraw land and naval forces from Cuba. Apr. 21.--Spain declares war by notifying U.S. diplomatic relations were at an end. Apr. 24.--President calls for 125,000 volunteers. May 1.--Ad. Dewey destroyed Montejo's fleet. Americans, none killed and 6 wounded; Spanish, between 5 and 6 hundred killed and wounded. Ensign Bagley, of torpedo-boat Windslow, 1st officer killed in the war. May 25.--President calls for 75,000 more volunteers. June 3.--Hobson sank Merrimac in Santiago harbor. June 24.--First action between land forces and Spanish took place. July 3.--Cervera's fleet destroyed by Sampson's fleet. July 17.--Santiago surrendered. Stars and stripes hoisted. Aug. 9.--Protocol drafted and signed. Aug. 18.--Manilla surrendered to U.S. Sept. 17.--Peace Commission sailed for Paris. Oct. 18.--American flag raised over San Juan. Nov. 1.--Spanish cruiser Infanta Maria Teresa abandoned at sea after being raised. Nov. 25.--First American troops landed in Havana. Nov. 28.--Spain assents to U.S. demand for the entire Phillippines for $20,000,000. Dec. 10.--Spanish American treaty signed at Paris. Ask your druggist for Wier's Lemon Seltzer. It is a positive cure for headache, nervousness, indigestion, etc. Pleasant to take. 10c.

"One dozen Ryman's Liver Pills. Sugar coated." Ryman's Celebrated Worm Syrup and Dr. Ryman's Catarrh Snuff were two other patent medicines sold under the Ryman name. The OCLC catalog record for Materials relating to proprietary medicines marketed by H. A. Moore & Co., of Howard, Pa. , provides some background information regarding the manufacturer of Ryman products: "'We beg leave to call your attention to the fact that we have purchased the right to manufacture and sell all of Ryman's medicines, and that our agent will call on you in a very short time with a fresh and new lot of the different kinds of medicines formerly sold by C. H. Else & Bro., of Milesburg, ...'--printed letter dated May 26, 1883, and signed: H. A. Moore & Co. Howard A. Moore was apprenticed to Dr. C. H. Else, druggist, of Milesburg, Pa. In 1876, Moore married Laura J. Ryman of Milesburg."

Dr. Hand's Remedies for Children Mothers, use Dr. Hand's Colic Cure in place of stupefying syrups, paregoric, and cordials. Immediate relief for wind colic or crying babies. Not injurious. Pleasant physic, teething lotion, diarrhoea mixture, cough and croup medicine. Colic cure, worm elixir, general tonic, chafing.