# Dr. Warburg's Fever Tincture - Info please!



## BeachComber (Apr 9, 2012)

Hello all! I found this little bottle last week and was hoping to get additional information on it. The bottle is embossed on all four sides as follows: Dr. Warburg's Fever Tincture / Tonic Medicine / Tinctura Warburgi / London. It is about 3.5" inches tall. I tried researching it but was unable to find much information on it. Does anyone know of the date of this bottle or the rarity of it? Thanks!


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## BeachComber (Apr 9, 2012)

Another Side


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## BeachComber (Apr 9, 2012)

Base


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## AntiqueMeds (Apr 10, 2012)

Looks like a question for Jerry


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## deepbluedigger (Apr 10, 2012)

Nice little bottle. Scarce, but one I have seen before. There's a good summary of the story of the medicine on *Wikipedia*. Lots of British military and colonial connections.

 I can't make out the base clearly from the photo, but it looks smooth base, and also not a hinge mold? So I'd guess the date of that one any time from the 1870s - 1890s. I've never seen a pontiled one yet, although they must be out there somewhere given the 1830s origin of the medicine.


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## Road Dog (Apr 10, 2012)

I have a hinge mold example that is a different variation (diff embossing) and no London on it. I'll post a pic this afternoon.


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## Road Dog (Apr 10, 2012)

Here is a pic


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## BeachComber (Apr 10, 2012)

Great info on Wikipedia! 

 Road dog - nice bottle! I imagine these came in all sorts of variants.


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## deepbluedigger (Apr 11, 2012)

The hinge mold is a nice bottle! If you ever decide to part with it, pls keep me in mind.


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## WTfan (Jun 8, 2012)

WOW!  I can't express how pleased I am to see photographs of these bottles!  

 Warburg's Tincture has been a specialist 'pet' research interest of mine for, well, I think over 15 years now.

 I originated and wrote the articles on Wikipedia for both Warburg's Tincture and its inventor, Carl Warburg.

 If anyone wants to find out more about Warburg's Tincture, please may I refer them to my website dedicated to Warburg's Tincture - please find the url link below in my signature.  Wikipedia won't allow me to link my website link on the article.

 Although I have obtained detailed contemporary written descriptions before of the small bottle, I have never seen an actual bottle until now, so this is great to see.  So thank you for the two posters who uploaded their photos above!

 Warburg's Tincture was sold as a secret patent medicine for over 35 years.  It was produced and sold exclusively by its inventor.  However, it was faked during this time.  After 1876, when the formula disclosed The Lancet medical journal, other suppliers were able to sell the real thing.

*The first bottle posted above* by the opening poster must be post 1847, I believe.  This is because the alternative name 'Tinctura Warburgi' was only adopted in 1847 when the medicine was officially adopted by the Austrian Empire.  This different names etc on that bottle are consistent with descriptions I have read.  It is therefore probably a genuine, official bottle of WT.  It could date to anything between 1847-1880, I suspect.  I'm not sure I can be any more precise, but UI need to look into thsi further; I may be able to restrict this down.  The inclusion of the name 'Tincturi Warburgi' might suggest it is an earlier example. I image that Warburg had these bottles made for him in very high quantities and one form of the bottle may have been used for very many years.

 The bottle of the genuine WT was sold with an outer wrapper including instructions.  The one ounce liquid content of the bottle was browny yellow in colour, and contained a single usage to taken in two doses.

*The second bottle pictured above* is an American version I am assuming given the poster's nationality.  I can't really add anything about the date, apart from mid-late C19th.   Maybe the bottle specialists on this forum can advise dates based on the style of the bottle?  This bottle may not be an official WT version.

 I hope this helps.


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## AntiqueMeds (Jun 8, 2012)

That's quite a web site you have for that one medicine.
 You must have some family tie to the product??

 The first bottle looks later, as Jerry said. I wouldnt think much earlier than 1880.
 The second one could be at least as early as the 1860s. 
 I would expect both bottles were made in England.


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## WTfan (Jun 8, 2012)

Thanks.

 No, no family connection.

 As a local historian, I discovered the existence of a laboratory in the 1850s near where I used to live.  The building was demolished in about 1880. I managed to find out who the laboratory belonged to - a Dr Carl Warburg.   This led to me finding out about him and his Warburg's Tincture drug (WT).  

 The above required original research at different archives.  Just within the past few years, however, due to the digitisation of lots of old medical journals and other publications, a lot more published material from the Victorian period relating to WT is accessible and easily so online.  This has extended my knowledge a lot, but the originally research breakthrough was achieved about 15 years ago.  Fortunately, the unusual name made things a lot easier than might otherwise have been the case.

 I am bit surprised to see 'Tinctura Warburgi' still used on a bottle of WT if of post-1880 origin, as you suggest.  It is worth noting than bottle of post 1876 ish origin, although containing a genuine formula, may very well not be an official version of WT.  Carl Warburg was still producing the tincture - indirectly or directly - around 1880 though; he lived until quite an age. 

 Can you advise me of your rationale for the dating of each bottle, please?  I'd be really interested to know the dating process.  Is it about production techniques/methods and styles? 

 I need to check my papers at some point to see about all the different references to the WT bottle design during different periods.  I won't be able to do this for a while though.

 R.


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## AntiqueMeds (Jun 8, 2012)

dating bottles based on manufacturing techniques is far from an exact science but you can often makes some fairly good assumptions. You have to always keep in mind there are many exceptions to the general rules.
 Its always better in my opinion to data a bottle based on the product its self but that is often difficult when the product was made over a long period.
 This bottle's dating is also made more difficult by questions of its origins. British glass techniques didnt exactly parallel american methods in time or style.

 Generally speaking the serif font was used on early bottles.
 Hinge molds started fading from use in the early 1870s (at least for meds in the USA).
 The post molds (first bottle) became very popular in sometime in the 1870s and very popular in the 1880s.
 The flared lip typically indicates and earlier finish style.

 The square vial, clear color and no recessed panels was a favorite british medicine bottle style not to say that there werent some USA meds in this form.

 I dont pay much attention to British  bottles so my guesses for their age may not be as accurate.


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## WTfan (Jun 8, 2012)

Ok, thanks.


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## Road Dog (Jun 8, 2012)

Here are a few more pics. Think I should uncork it and clean it.[]   It reads Warburg's Tincture on one side and Tinctura- Warburgi on the other side. I agree with Matt. It looks 1860's.


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## Road Dog (Jun 8, 2012)

the other side


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## Road Dog (Jun 8, 2012)

bottom


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## WTfan (Jun 8, 2012)

great, thanks for the photos!

 be careful with the contents, I think it had some opium in it!


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## BeachComber (Jun 8, 2012)

Hi Roland,

 Fascinating research on the Warburg Medicine! The information you have provided us with is very useful! 

 I am from Bermuda and found my bottle there. I am assuming that I came over with the Royal Navy as Bermuda was a major Royal Naval port for the British Empire. I am also certain that the bottle I have is a British made bottle since almost all bottles were imported from the UK. 

 Have you found out much information about the connection between Warburg's Medicine and the Royal Navy? If so, I would like to get more information.

 I look forward to hearing more.

 Thanks again!


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## AntiqueMeds (Jun 8, 2012)

> bottom


 
 Weird to see a bottle with that style mold embossed on the bottom.
 Probably another reason to think its not USA made.


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## JOETHECROW (Jun 8, 2012)

Interesting info and bottles!


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## Road Dog (Jun 9, 2012)

Cleaned up abit.[]


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## AntiqueMeds (Jun 9, 2012)

oh , you removed the best part... the opium.


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## Road Dog (Jun 9, 2012)

Yeah, not much street value though.[]


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