# Old Quack/ Snake Oil Medicines



## Old man digger (Oct 13, 2021)

Would like to see some of these bottles that others have collected. What are the weirdest sayings or claims that make you laugh or at least smile?
Mine is the Pre-Digested Food Co. bottle. I don't know what this bottle actually contained. Pine Apples were not well know in the US when these
bottles were made, so hopefully they did not contain what they claimed to contain.


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## ROBBYBOBBY64 (Oct 14, 2021)

Here is one. Not sure it is funny or just sadistic?  Ironic I guess, Dr. Graves- Heart Regulator/ Cures Heart Disease.
ROBBYBOBBY64.


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## nhpharm (Oct 14, 2021)

If you want to try some of the Dr. Graves, I've got one with full contents haha.


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## slugplate (Oct 14, 2021)

ROBBYBOBBY64 said:


> Here is one. Not sure it is funny or just sadistic?  Ironic I guess, Dr. Graves- Heart Regulator/ Cures Heart Disease.
> ROBBYBOBBY64.


Great bottle, my friend. That is certainly a prize keeper.


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## CanadianBottles (Oct 14, 2021)

Old man digger said:


> Would like to see some of these bottles that others have collected. What are the weirdest sayings or claims that make you laugh or at least smile?
> Mine is the Pre-Digested Food Co. bottle. I don't know what this bottle actually contained. Pine Apples were not well know in the US when these
> bottles were made, so hopefully they did not contain what they claimed to contain.


These liquid food products were quite common around the turn of the 20th century.  Fluid beef (another revolting-sounding product) was one of the more common ones to see.  I think they were basically nutritional supplements similar to something like Boost today.  I wouldn't typically consider them snake oil bottles because I think they did contain an actual beneficial product.  Never seen one with the particular claim of being pre-digested before though!  I imagine it was was probably intended for sick people who had difficulty eating solid food, and was probably just pureed.  


I've always liked the name Hamlin's Wizard Oil, it's not a name that exactly instills confidence in its efficacy!  These bottles are apparently American in origin but they seem to have been a particular favourite of Canadians because they show up in massive numbers in practically every late 19th century dump up here.  Probably our best dollar-box bottle in my opinion.


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## Harry Pristis (Oct 14, 2021)

*Here's one that makes a big promise:*


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## Old man digger (Oct 14, 2021)

ROBBYBOBBY64 said:


> Here is one. Not sure it is funny or just sadistic?  Ironic I guess, Dr. Graves- Heart Regulator/ Cures Heart Disease.
> ROBBYBOBBY64.


O My thats a good one too. Never saw that one before!!!!


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## Old man digger (Oct 14, 2021)

CanadianBottles said:


> These liquid food products were quite common around the turn of the 20th century.  Fluid beef (another revolting-sounding product) was one of the more common ones to see.  I think they were basically nutritional supplements similar to something like Boost today.  I wouldn't typically consider them snake oil bottles because I think they did contain an actual beneficial product.  Never seen one with the particular claim of being pre-digested before though!  I imagine it was was probably intended for sick people who had difficulty eating solid food, and was probably just pureed.
> 
> 
> I've always liked the name Hamlin's Wizard Oil, it's not a name that exactly instills confidence in its efficacy!  These bottles are apparently American in origin but they seem to have been a particular favourite of Canadians because they show up in massive numbers in practically every late 19th century dump up here.  Probably our best dollar-box bottle in my opinion.
> View attachment 230876


Thank you for the answer and photo. I am starting to see some bottles I've not seen before!!!


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## Old man digger (Oct 14, 2021)

Thanks guy, please keep the photos coming. They are great in my opinion !!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## Harry Pristis (Oct 14, 2021)

*Here's a well-known patent medicine, a panacea or "cure-all":





*


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## Ye Olde Prospector (Oct 14, 2021)

Old man digger said:


> Thanks guy, please keep the photos coming. They are great in my opinion !!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Here's one of my  favorite cures from Washington,DC no less. Harper's cuforhedake
Brain Food
Cliff


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## CanadianBottles (Oct 14, 2021)

Ye Olde Prospector said:


> Here's one of my  favorite cures from Washington,DC no less. Harper's cuforhdake
> Brain Food
> Cliff


Wow that's a great name on that one!  Cuforhedake = cure for headache?


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## butchndad (Oct 15, 2021)

Old man digger said:


> Would like to see some of these bottles that others have collected. What are the weirdest sayings or claims that make you laugh or at least smile?
> Mine is the Pre-Digested Food Co. bottle. I don't know what this bottle actually contained. Pine Apples were not well know in the US when these
> bottles were made, so hopefully they did not contain what they claimed to contain.


KENDALL’S SPAVIN TREATMENT FOR HUMAN FLESH


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## Harry Pristis (Oct 15, 2021)

*Here's another headache cure:



*


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## Old man digger (Oct 15, 2021)

Harry Pristis said:


> *Here's a well-known patent medicine, a panacea or "cure-all":View attachment 230891
> 
> View attachment 230890*


I have dug some of these but was never lucky enough to find one whole. I'd probably have a cardiac arrest if I found one as nice as this one. Great find and great photo....


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## Old man digger (Oct 15, 2021)

ROBBYBOBBY64 said:


> Here is one. Not sure it is funny or just sadistic?  Ironic I guess, Dr. Graves- Heart Regulator/ Cures Heart Disease.
> ROBBYBOBBY64.


I think this has to be one of the quack KINGS of all time!!!


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## Harry Pristis (Oct 15, 2021)

*These heart cures, remedies, and regulators are wildly optimistic, aren't they!



*


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## ROBBYBOBBY64 (Oct 16, 2021)

nhpharm said:


> If you want to try some of the Dr. Graves, I've got one with full contents haha.


I love the full meds. The condition of the label is killer. Wonder what it tasted like?
Here is a full Babek for Malaria, Washington, DC.
ROBBYBOBBY64.


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## ROBBYBOBBY64 (Oct 17, 2021)

slugplate said:


> Great bottle, my friend. That is certainly a prize keeper.


Hey Mark, or is this Gunner? Lol! I love the quack meds.
ROBBYBOBBY64.


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## TxBottleDigger (Oct 17, 2021)

I suggest reading volume I (1912) & Volume II (1921) of *Nostrums and Quackery* by the American Medical Association. It gives a good history of famous patent medicines and what they falsely claimed to cure. Both volumes are free to read on google books.


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## TxBottleDigger (Oct 17, 2021)

ROBBYBOBBY64 said:


> I love the full meds. The condition of the label is killer. Wonder what it tasted like?
> Here is a full Babek for Malaria, Washington, DC.
> ROBBYBOBBY64.


Yes, and to keep those labels in good condition, you must close it away in a case. Old paper will absorb pollutants in the air and change color. And also the fact that dust will build up. Bugs can also leave waste on them.


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## BottleDiver94 (Oct 17, 2021)

Old man digger said:


> Would like to see some of these bottles that others have collected. What are the weirdest sayings or claims that make you laugh or at least smile?
> Mine is the Pre-Digested Food Co. bottle. I don't know what this bottle actually contained. Pine Apples were not well know in the US when these
> bottles were made, so hopefully they did not contain what they claimed to contain.


So when it is pre-digested I presume it is a bottle of vomit. Such fun!


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## Old man digger (Oct 17, 2021)

BottleDiver94 said:


> So when it is pre-digested I presume it is a bottle of vomit. Such fun!


Well, I see only two possibilities either that or the other way to gather that type of material!!! I have read some on this and I think the PINEAPPLE on the label gives it away. They (the pineapples) were not well know here in the US. until WWII. Its also said the users of this medication gained weight at an astounding rate!!! Thanks for the interest, and I am seeing some real gems on here now that people are posting photos of what they have in their collections.


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## tiffany29062810 (Oct 20, 2021)

ROBBYBOBBY64 said:


> Here is one. Not sure it is funny or just sadistic?  Ironic I guess, Dr. Graves- Heart Regulator/ Cures Heart Disease.
> ROBBYBOBBY64.


Ya, sadistic! Dr. Graves? And a claim that it CURES heat disease? Wow lol


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## tiffany29062810 (Oct 20, 2021)

tiffany29062810 said:


> Ya, sadistic! Dr. Graves? And a claim that it CURES heat disease? Wow lol


Heart*** - typo


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## cattlebarroness (Oct 20, 2021)

Old man digger said:


> Would like to see some of these bottles that others have collected. What are the weirdest sayings or claims that make you laugh or at least smile?
> Mine is the Pre-Digested Food Co. bottle. I don't know what this bottle actually contained. Pine Apples were not well know in the US when these
> bottles were made, so hopefully they did not contain what they claimed to contain.


All the many claims for CBD today remind me of the claims for various snake-oil remedies in the 19th and early 20th centuries.  Both just seem a way to make a fast buck.


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## Harry Pristis (Oct 20, 2021)

*Here's a pair of dysentery treatments.  Dysentery and cholera were killer diseases before antibiotics.
*


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## BF109 (Oct 20, 2021)

I'm not sure this one is quack or snake oil but sounds interesting.  DR. JAYNE'S TONIC VERMIFUGE and on the back THE STRENGTH GIVER.  I understand it was for intestinal worms, yikes!


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## PlaneDiggerCam (Oct 20, 2021)

A few of the ones I have:







My favorite one. It's local and has many claims. I love the fact that it has the label for the Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906 which exposes its contents of 80% Alcohol, 3% Laudanum, and 6% Capsicum!!!


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## Old man digger (Oct 20, 2021)

PlaneDiggerCam said:


> A few of the ones I have:
> View attachment 231100
> 
> View attachment 231101
> ...


Great Bottles!! I have the Wild Cherry but its not as nice as yours. Mine has that nasty staining.
I was looking on line and stumbled across a category of some medicinal bottles. Then I found out that they were to be used for MEDICINAL purposes, but were actually bottles that contained whiskey and were produced during the PROHIBITION ERA. The ones I thought were the coolest were the bottles that were used by the Frankfort Distillery in Kentucky. They have spiders and spiders webs embossed in their glass. And there are variations in them that I could see without really looking into them with a magnifying glass.


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## CanadianBottles (Oct 20, 2021)

Old man digger said:


> Great Bottles!! I have the Wild Cherry but its not as nice as yours. Mine has that nasty staining.
> I was looking on line and stumbled across a category of some medicinal bottles. Then I found out that they were to be used for MEDICINAL purposes, but were actually bottles that contained whiskey and were produced during the PROHIBITION ERA. The ones I thought were the coolest were the bottles that were used by the Frankfort Distillery in Kentucky. They have spiders and spiders webs embossed in their glass. And there are variations in them that I could see without really looking into them with a magnifying glass.


I'm not sure if it was the same in the US, but one of the reasons that Prohibition here was considered a failure was that doctors were free to prescribe liquor for "medicinal" reasons which were broad enough that practically anyone who wanted it would qualify.  We never got the same level of organized crime problems that the US did as a result of Prohibition because everyone just went out and got prescriptions for as much medical-grade whiskey as they wanted!


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## Old man digger (Oct 20, 2021)

CanadianBottles said:


> I'm not sure if it was the same in the US, but one of the reasons that Prohibition here was considered a failure was that doctors were free to prescribe liquor for "medicinal" reasons which were broad enough that practically anyone who wanted it would qualify.  We never got the same level of organized crime problems that the US did as a result of Prohibition because everyone just went out and got prescriptions for as much medical-grade whiskey as they wanted!


I always liked Canada and the attitude of most Canadians, at least the ones that aren't in Quebec!!!!


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## ROBBYBOBBY64 (Oct 21, 2021)

Old man digger said:


> Great Bottles!! I have the Wild Cherry but its not as nice as yours. Mine has that nasty staining.
> I was looking on line and stumbled across a category of some medicinal bottles. Then I found out that they were to be used for MEDICINAL purposes, but were actually bottles that contained whiskey and were produced during the PROHIBITION ERA. The ones I thought were the coolest were the bottles that were used by the Frankfort Distillery in Kentucky. They have spiders and spiders webs embossed in their glass. And there are variations in them that I could see without really looking into them with a magnifying glass.


What variations?
ROBBYBOBBY64.


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## Old man digger (Oct 21, 2021)

ROBBYBOBBY64 said:


> What variations?
> ROBBYBOBBY64.


There are variations in the webs and the number of wheat stalks. Some are straight up and some are bent over. The ones with the four stalks almost form the shape of a heart and the ones with the five stalks stand straight up. There are some with a spiders on both the front and the back of the bottle.


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## ROBBYBOBBY64 (Oct 21, 2021)

Old man digger said:


> There are variations in the webs and the number of wheat stalks. Some are straight up and some are bent over. The ones with the four stalks almost form the shape of a heart and the ones with the five stalks stand straight up. There are some with a spiders on both the front and the back of the bottle.


I have to dig mine out and see which one I have. Keep posted, 4 or 5 stalks and spiders one one or both sides, gotcha. 
ROBBYBOBBY64.


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## Old man digger (Oct 23, 2021)

ROBBYBOBBY64 said:


> I have to dig mine out and see which one I have. Keep posted, 4 or 5 stalks and spiders one one or both sides, gotcha.
> ROBBYBOBBY64.


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## Old man digger (Oct 23, 2021)

Robby, I will post some photos if the weather is nice on Monday. Sorry I took so long to get back to you on this but I just got out of the hospital at 4 P.M. today. Spent Thursday Friday and about all day today. I have a few of the Prohibition bottles with the spiders and will attach some here so you can see the differences....


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## ROBBYBOBBY64 (Oct 24, 2021)

Old man digger said:


> Robby, I will post some photos if the weather is nice on Monday. Sorry I took so long to get back to you on this but I just got out of the hospital at 4 P.M. today. Spent Thursday Friday and about all day today. I have a few of the Prohibition bottles with the spiders and will attach some here so you can see the differences....


No rush, hope all is well. Looking forward to the pictures. Antique whiskey if I remember correctly. 
ROBBYBOBBY64.


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## Old man digger (Oct 24, 2021)

ROBBYBOBBY64 said:


> No rush, hope all is well. Looking forward to the pictures. Antique whiskey if I remember correctly.
> ROBBYBOBBY64.


You are correct. Antique Whiskey was a name brand that was used by Frankfort Distillery. But there are other names too. I will dig the ones I know of out on Monday and get you the photos...


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## ROBBYBOBBY64 (Oct 24, 2021)

Old man digger said:


> You are correct. Antique Whiskey was a name brand that was used by Frankfort Distillery. But there are other names too. I will dig the ones I know of out on Monday and get you the photos...


Frankfort distillery that's the other name. Whenever you can. I have to dig mine out and that is going to take a little time.
ROBBYBOBBY64.


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## nhpharm (Oct 26, 2021)

Harry Pristis said:


> *Here's another headache cure:
> 
> View attachment 230914*


That's a great Galveston, Texas bottle!


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## Old man digger (Oct 26, 2021)

nhpharm said:


> That's a great Galveston, Texas bottle!


Funny it doesn't say how long you must wait...!!!!


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