# DESCHIENS SYRUP BOTTLE



## SODAPOPBOB (May 5, 2011)

"DESCHIENS SYRUP"

 I'm a soda pop guy and know little or nothing about medicinals, and could use a little help. I recently acquired this bottle, and although I have researched and learned quite a bit about it, I am still seeking additional information, such as ...

 1.  Approximate year it was made? (Within ten).
 2.  Was it made in France and imported to the U.S.? 
 3.  Or was it strictly a U.S. product with a French name?
 4.  Why is the word "Syrup" in English?
 5.  Company history?
 6.  Rarity?
 7.  Value?

                                           Here's what I know about it so far ...

 1.  It stands approximately 8 inches high and 3 inches wide.
 2.  It is colbalt blue.
 3.  On one side it says ... DESCHIENS ... and on the other side ... SYRUP
 4.  There is no embossing on the front or back.
 5.  On the base it reads "Depose" which I know basically means "Patent Pending"
 6.  It once contained a form of sweetened sheep's blood.
 7.  The sheep's blood is sometimes referred to as "Hemoglobin"
 8.  Hemoglobin is defined as follows ...

                                     Hemoglobin  heÂ·moÂ·gloÂ·bin (hÄ“'mÉ™-glÅ'bÄ­n) 

 The red respiratory protein of red blood cells that transports oxygen as oxyhemoglobin from the lungs to the tissues, where the oxygen is readily released and the oxyhemoglobin becomes hemoglobin. 

 9.    I think it was some form of "Iron" suppliment.
 10.  It's a totally weird bottle and product ... but an interesting conversation piece.

 If you have the answers to my seven questions, or know something about it that I failed to ask, please share it with us. I'm sure others will be interested in knowing more about it as well. Especially considering there is very little information about it on the internet. (At least that I was able to find). This could result as the definiative source for future researchers.

             Thanks in advance for your time and interest ... and now for the pictures.

 (Note: This bottle was recently traded to another member - it is for both of us that I post this thread)

                                                        SODAPOPBOB

             [ Front ]


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## SODAPOPBOB (May 5, 2011)

[ Side one ]


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## SODAPOPBOB (May 5, 2011)

[ Side two ]


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## surfaceone (May 5, 2011)

Hey BOB.

 Nice French blue guy. "Des chiens" according to my high school French, translates to "the dogs," and I'm not sure if it is a family name, or what. I suspect it is *not* meant to treat anemic doggies.

 There's a swell ad for Deschiens in this 1912 issue of _International Journal of Surgery._ A single tablespoon will fix you right up, according to "opotherapeutic and zomothereapeutic principles".

 Oddly, it's on the Allopathic System of Medicine blacklist.

 Their U.S. Distributor was George Wallau, 6 Cliff St., NYC. You'll be comforted to know that it was available worldwide. I particularly like this ad from the Malayan Saturday Post, 30 March 1929.

 That's all I know for sure. I associated the shape with TOC toiletries. I't's a handsome blue guy, I hope you're wearin your beret.


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## SODAPOPBOB (May 6, 2011)

Surf ~

 Thanks. I nabbed this from that 1929 Saturday Post. Basically it says it's good for you. Yeah, right! []


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## SODAPOPBOB (May 6, 2011)

I know a thing or two about dating soda bottles. But when it comes to medicinals, I have a lot to learn. Here is the best I could come up with regarding this particular 'type' of of bottle, and the date range they were produced in. It appears to be somewhat similar to the Deschiens bottle, (sort of). Although the lip/closure part still isn't quite right.  HELP !  []

 [ Text that accompanied picture ]

The _prescription finish_ pictured below (colorless bottle) is on a Levinger Drug Co. (Baker, OR.) druggist bottle that dates to the early 20th century (I.e., 1905-1920).  Druggist bottles were more often made with this type finish than all the other finish types combined.  In colorless (clear) glass, this finish is extremely diagnostic of a druggist bottle.  In other colors (aqua, amber, greens, blues) this finish is more likely to have been used for proprietary medicines than as a general druggist bottle.  (Note: There is a fine line between proprietary medicines and the medicines concocted and sold by the thousands of druggists during the era this finish was used.  If successful, many druggist's preparations were patented or at least more widely distributed, making them a proprietary medicine.)[/align]


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## SODAPOPBOB (May 6, 2011)

And here is the Deschiens bottle again for close proximity comparison.


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## SODAPOPBOB (May 6, 2011)

Or is it this one? Like I said, I need help! ( I wonder if they make a pill or syrup for obsession? )  []

The illustration below is from the 1908 _Illinois Glass Company_ catalog and shows that company's version of a _packer_.  The primary diagnostic feature of the _packer finish_ is that it has the same diameter from top to bottom (no flare) and is moderately tall.  The outside surface of the finish is generally flat, though can sometimes be very slightly concave or convex.


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## cowseatmaize (May 6, 2011)

> I wonder if they make a pill or syrup for obsession?


I think anything in the barbiturate family and many others will do the trick.[]

 When it comes to dating foreign bottles it's similar to here but BIM can be a bit later. I don't know exactly when Owens start shipping, selling the right to his machine or if he may have unloaded the earlier ones first. It's not too uncommon to see them reaching the 30's where here they were all but changed to ABM labeled in the 20's. My guess is a 5-10 year lag, maybe even longer for less developed countries. I think lip treatment could and often was different than here. That's just me guessing though.
 If I had to guess I'd say teens - early 20's.

 SYRUP OF HAEMOGLOBIN. Tve have received from Messrs. Adrian and Co., Society Francaise de Produits Pharmaceutiques, of Paris (74, Wickham Road, Brockley, S.E.), samples of syrup containing Deschien's soluble hemoglobin. There is no doubt of the genuine character of this preparation, and that it does contain haemoglobin. The syrup when heated coagulates, and with nitric acid gives a reddish brown flocculent precipitate. The residue left after ignition is rust-coloured, and it also gives the characteristics of blood when examined with the spectroscope. The administration of haemoglobin has given â€¢excellent results in the treatment of chlorosis, anaemia, etc. This syrup will be found to be a very agreeable mode of administering the remedy. FROM British medical journal 1897

 The Straits Times 1965 (last advertisment)

 banned in Pakistan 1980 (last mention)

 Deschiens Syrup Hepathemo

 Deschiens' Syrup of Haemoglobin with Vitamin B-12â€¦â€¦â€¦â€¦â€¦â€¦â€¦â€¦â€¦..............
 Manufactured by M/s. Franco Indian Manufacturers Pvt. Ltd., Bombay (forgot date but think 1970's)

 HARVARD UNIVERSITY
 Library of the Medical School
 Longwood Avenue , Boston, Massachusetts
                                                                                                                        (Undated) ??.02.1925 
 My dear Grandfather,  

 Your letter to hand. Exceedingly glad to hear your health is so wonderful. Let me congratulate you on that. 

 About Deschienâ€™s syrup of haemoglobin. If your haemoglobin index is too low, about 70-80%, it will or may do some good. If your haemoglobin index is alright, no use of taking either in an organic or an inorganic form of iron. Deschienâ€™s syrup is an organic form or rather in the same form as it exists in the blood. But it does not mean that the body wants everything moulded up for it. It breaks it up however and builds up again.

 I will consult Dr. Christian as soon as he... .................. .......................


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## SODAPOPBOB (May 6, 2011)

Cows ~

 Great info. Thank you. Now we know that Deschiens Syrup was around at least as early as 1897.

 But I don't care what all of those quacks have to say about it's benifits, there's no way they would ever get me to take any of that yucky sounding stuff. I think I will stick with safe street drugs instead. []

 Thanks again,

 SPBOB


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