Balm of America: Patent Medicine Collection

American History Museum

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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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.

Medicine 1,070 Filter by term Exclude term
Drugs 271 Filter by term Exclude term
Patent Medicines; Drugs; Non-Liquid 178 Filter by term Exclude term
?; Patent Medicines; Drugs 106 Filter by term Exclude term
Patent Medicines; Drugs; Liquid 97 Filter by term Exclude term
Patent Medicines; Drugs 25 Filter by term Exclude term
Patent Medicines; Non-Liquid 25 Filter by term Exclude term
Pharmaceutical 13 Filter by term Exclude term
?; Aspirin; Drugs 8 Filter by term Exclude term
Bottles 7 Filter by term Exclude term
pharmaceutical 7 Filter by term Exclude term
?; otc preparation; Patent Medicines; Drugs 5 Filter by term Exclude term
Homeopathy; Patent Medicines; Drugs 5 Filter by term Exclude term
otc preparation; Patent Medicines; Drugs; Non-Liquid 5 Filter by term Exclude term
Bottle, Medicine 4 Filter by term Exclude term
Patent Medicine 4 Filter by term Exclude term
otc preparation; Drugs 4 Filter by term Exclude term
otc preparation; Patent Medicines; Drugs; Liquid 4 Filter by term Exclude term
Aspirin; Aspirin; Patent Medicines; Drugs; Non-Liquid 3 Filter by term Exclude term
Bottle, OTC Preparation 3 Filter by term Exclude term
Cod Liver Oil 3 Filter by term Exclude term
Laxative; Patent Medicines; Drugs; Non-Liquid 3 Filter by term Exclude term
Nutritional Product 3 Filter by term Exclude term
Vitamin/Mineral Product 3 Filter by term Exclude term
personal hygiene product 3 Filter by term Exclude term
veterinary product 3 Filter by term Exclude term
Aspirin; Patent Medicines; Drugs 2 Filter by term Exclude term
Bottled Water 2 Filter by term Exclude term
Bottled Water; Patent Medicines; Drugs; Liquid 2 Filter by term Exclude term
Drugs; Liquid 2 Filter by term Exclude term
Mustard Plaster; Patent Medicines; Drugs; Non-Liquid 2 Filter by term Exclude term
Nutritional Products 2 Filter by term Exclude term
Pharmaceutical; Drugs 2 Filter by term Exclude term
Pharmaceutical; Patent Medicines; Drugs; Liquid 2 Filter by term Exclude term
Pharmaceutical; Pharmaceutical; Powder 2 Filter by term Exclude term

Balm of America 1,079 Filter by term Exclude term
Medicine and Science: Medicine 1,072 Filter by term Exclude term
Health & Medicine 361 Filter by term Exclude term
Beauty and Health 50 Filter by term Exclude term
Reid Pharmacy, Clifton, Illinois 33 Filter by term Exclude term
Beauty and Hygiene Products: Cure-alls 28 Filter by term Exclude term
Menstruation: Symptom Relief 23 Filter by term Exclude term
Sherman Pharmacy, Sherman, New York 22 Filter by term Exclude term
Beauty and Hygiene Products: Feet 14 Filter by term Exclude term
Botanical Medicine 10 Filter by term Exclude term
The Antibody Initiative 10 Filter by term Exclude term
National Museum of American History 9 Filter by term Exclude term
American Enterprise 5 Filter by term Exclude term
Beauty and Hygiene Products: Skin 4 Filter by term Exclude term
Antibody Initiative: Influenza 3 Filter by term Exclude term
Beauty and Hygiene Products: Oral Care 3 Filter by term Exclude term
Diabetes 3 Filter by term Exclude term
Medicine and Science: Pharmacy 3 Filter by term Exclude term
Work and Industry: Agriculture and Natural Resources 3 Filter by term Exclude term
Antibody Initiative: Diphtheria 2 Filter by term Exclude term
Antibody Initiative: New York City Public Health Collections 2 Filter by term Exclude term
Object Project 2 Filter by term Exclude term
Antibody Initiative: Infectious Disease, Allergy, and Immunotherapy Collections 1 Filter by term Exclude term
Antibody Initiative: Measles, Mumps, and Rubella 1 Filter by term Exclude term
Beauty and Hygiene Products: Alleviating Odor 1 Filter by term Exclude term
Beauty and Hygiene Products: Feminine Care 1 Filter by term Exclude term
Diphtheria 1 Filter by term Exclude term
Division of Science, Medicine and Society: Medical Sciences 1 Filter by term Exclude term
Object Project (tube) 1 Filter by term Exclude term
Price of Freedom 1 Filter by term Exclude term

Health & Medicine 361 Filter by term Exclude term
Laxatives 202 Filter by term Exclude term
Catarrh, Cough & Cold Drugs 138 Filter by term Exclude term
Indigestion & Nausea Drugs 115 Filter by term Exclude term
Pain & Neuralgia Drugs 94 Filter by term Exclude term
Rubs, Liniments & Ointments 88 Filter by term Exclude term
Blood & Liver Drugs 69 Filter by term Exclude term
Respiratory & Asthma Drugs 69 Filter by term Exclude term
Sterling Drug Collection 65 Filter by term Exclude term
Rheumatism & Arthritis Drugs 55 Filter by term Exclude term
Beauty and Health 50 Filter by term Exclude term
Nerve & Brain Drugs 50 Filter by term Exclude term
G.E. Damon Collection 42 Filter by term Exclude term
First Aid Products & Antiseptics 41 Filter by term Exclude term
Skin & Dermatology Drugs 41 Filter by term Exclude term
Tonics, Minerals & Vitamins 39 Filter by term Exclude term
Reid Pharmacy, Clifton, Illinois 33 Filter by term Exclude term
Women's Health Products 32 Filter by term Exclude term
Kidney & Urinary Drugs 31 Filter by term Exclude term
Beauty and Hygiene Products: Cure-alls 28 Filter by term Exclude term
Fever & Chill Drugs 23 Filter by term Exclude term
Menstruation: Symptom Relief 23 Filter by term Exclude term
Sherman Pharmacy, Sherman, New York 22 Filter by term Exclude term
Infant & Children's Products - Pediatrics 20 Filter by term Exclude term
Foot Products 18 Filter by term Exclude term
Georgetown Pharmacy 15 Filter by term Exclude term
Beauty and Hygiene Products: Feet 14 Filter by term Exclude term
Vermifuges & Parasiticides 12 Filter by term Exclude term
Drugs 11 Filter by term Exclude term
Botanical Medicine 10 Filter by term Exclude term
The Antibody Initiative 10 Filter by term Exclude term
Women's Health 10 Filter by term Exclude term
Bitters 8 Filter by term Exclude term
STD Drugs 6 Filter by term Exclude term
Veterinary Products 6 Filter by term Exclude term

Sloan's Liniment

National Museum of American History
Dr. Kilmer's Prompt Parilla Liver Pills

National Museum of American History
Atophan

National Museum of American History
Hammond's Liniment, For Man and Beast

National Museum of American History
Peterson's Ointment

National Museum of American History
McKesson's Camphor Ice

National Museum of American History
Doan's Pills

National Museum of American History
Ocusol Eye Lotion, 3 7/8 Oz

National Museum of American History
DeWitt's Throat Lozenges

National Museum of American History
Bayer Aspirin Tablets

National Museum of American History
B B B Purgative Pills

National Museum of American History
St. Joseph Genuine Pure Aspirin

National Museum of American History
A.D.S. Headache Powders

National Museum of American History
Bitro Phosphate

National Museum of American History
Three Bromides, Effervescent

National Museum of American History
Dr. Caldwell's Senna Laxative

National Museum of American History
Neo-Synephrine, Regular, 1/2%, 1/2 Fl. Oz.

National Museum of American History
Allan's Soluble Medicated Bougies

National Museum of American History
Dr. Pierce's Pleasant Purgative Pellets

National Museum of American History
Chloraseptic Sore Throat Lozenges, Cherry, 36 Lozenges

National Museum of American History
Shiloh Improved

National Museum of American History
Sherman's Headache Cure

National Museum of American History
Shiloh's Catarrh Remedy

National Museum of American History
Dr. Carter's K & B Tea

National Museum of American History
Par (Antacid)

National Museum of American History
Larkin Dema-Bond

National Museum of American History
Dr. I. W. Lyon's Tooth Tablets

National Museum of American History
Wright's Indian Vegetable Pills

National Museum of American History
Ramon's Pink Pills

National Museum of American History
Lane's Mustard Ointment

National Museum of American History
Dr. Buckland's Scotch Oats Essence

National Museum of American History
Jayne's P-W Vermifuge

National Museum of American History
Bayer Aspirin

National Museum of American History
Pepsin and Soda Mint Tablets

National Museum of American History
Mucilose Flakes

National Museum of American History

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