Popular Medicines

Popular Medicines: An illustrated history contains fascinating histories of well-known medicines. Historical details of 21 popular branded medicines are provided, some of which date back to the earliest proprietary medicines in the sixteenth century.

Each pictorial history includes biographical details of the inventor, the origins of the medicine and its subsequent history and details of the medicine's formula and intended purpose. Each entry is highly illustrated including colourful historical adverts, portraits, photographs and images of the medicines themselves.

Popular Medicines will appeal to pharmaceutical, medical and social historians, medical libraries, archives and museums, pharmacists and the general public.

1. Introduction
2. Anderson's Scots Pills
3. Beecham's Pills
4. Bile Beans
5. Burgess's Lion Ointment
6. Carter's Little Liver Pills
7. Clarke's Blood Mixture
8. J Collis Browne's Chlorodyne
9. Dalby's Carminative
10. Fennings' Children's Cooling Powders
11. Holloway's Pills and Ointment
12. Dr James's Fever Powder
13. Morison's Pills
14. Mother Seigel's Syrup
15. Lydia E Pinkham's Vegetable Compound
16. Poor Man's Friend Ointment
17. Singleton's Eye Ointment
18. Steedman's Soothing Powders
19. Dr William's Pink Pills for Pale People
20. Mrs Winslow's Soothing Syrup
21. Woodward's Gripe Water
22. Zam-Buk

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01-Mar-09, The Civil War News
'Indeed, one of the interesting themes borne in Popular Medicines is the use of military testimonials in advertising of patent medicines, with examples from the late1700s through World War I.'
James M. Schmidt, ‘Patent Medicines and the Civil War’, The Civil War News, Medical Department, Feb - March 2009

22-May-08, New England Journal of Medicine
'The book's three authors are to be praised for pulling together these brief histories. Not to be overlooked is the authors' real service of providing recipes for these predecessors of today's over-the-counter medicines. The stories of the medicines are the heart of the book...the authors convey well the continuing demand of the public for a panoply of pills, powders, ointments, and syrups for the treatment of many ills...the book is a fine introduction to a fascinating topic.'
Gregory J. Higby, American Institute of the History of Pharmacy. New England Journal of Medicine, 358:21. May 22 2008

01-May-08, New Zealand Pharmacy
'...it is a delightful and interesting history of a few branded remedies showing how they developed and the ornate ways they were often promoted and marketed. Pharmacists and many of your customers would love this book.'
Jenny McElroy. New Zealand Pharmacy, May 2008