Class A drugs in your great-grandma’s medicine cabinet?
More than often in the last few weeks I came across images of interesting remedies of back in the day. I thought to share a few below. These psychoactive medicines and other products were widely available during the late-19th century through the mid-20th century. I guess in those times, if it is legal and can do the job, why not!
A bottle of Bayer’s ‘Heroin’
The German drug company Bayer named its new over the counter drug “Heroin” in 1895. It was most importantly developed as a morphine substitute for cough suppressants, that did not have morphine’s addictive side-effects.
Vin Mariani (Coca Wine)
As the name goes, Coca Wine was an alcoholic beverage that is wine and cocaine combined. Mariani wine (1875) was the most famous Coca Wine of its time. Apparently Pope Leo XIII used to carry one bottle with him all the time and he awarded Angelo Mariani (the producer) with a Vatican gold medal.
Metcalf’s Coca Wine
Metcalf’s Coca Wine was another cocaine-containing wine available on the market. All claimed medicinal effects, although they were undoubtedly consumed for their sociable value as well.
Maltine with Coca Wine
This coca wine was made by the Maltine Manufacturing Company (New York). The dosage indicated on the back of the bottle reads: “A wine glass full with, or immediately after, meals. Children in proportion.” The malt extract was taken for its health-promoting effects and alcohol, as considered by many, for its medicinal effects.
Cocaine Tablets
Cocaine-containing throat lozenges, “indispensable for singers, teachers, and public speakers“. This box of lozenges is from a Belgium pharmacy (c. 1900). Local pharmacies often bought their drugs in bulk and packaged them for consumers under their own labels. Sure thing for maximum performance!
Cocaine Toothache Drops
The design of the packaging, from around 1885, indicates that it was not just popular with adults, but kids was the target market too. They required no prescription and was indeed “For sale by all druggists”.
A paper weight
This paperweight is an advertisement for C.F. Boehringer & Soehne (Mannheim, Germany); largest makers in the world of quinine and cocaine. This chemical manufacturer was proud of its leading position in the world’s cocaine market.
Opium for Asthma
The National Vaporizer Vapor-OL (opium) Treatment no. 6 was a cure for asthma. The liquid went into a small metal dish on a kerosene lamp that is heated. It was basically a way of smoking opium.
Stickney and Poor’s Pure Paregoric
Stickney & Poor Spice Company’s main trade was mustard. But they also had other items on their list, for example Paregoric syrup. It consist of camphorated 46% alcohol with 1.8 grains opium (117 mg) per fluid ounce (equivalent to around 11.7 mg morphine). Doses for infants, children and adults are given on the back of the bottle. Perfect recipe to knock anyone out that has trouble sleeping!
Interesting how we moved from all of that to Herbal Remedies…
