Antique Medicine Bottles Dr Cannon's Medicine Chest

ANOTHER "PATENT MEDICINE ARTICLE" FROM THE PAGES OF

ANTIQUE BOTTLE AND GLASS COLLECTOR MAGAZINE

THE MAGAZINE OF THE ANTIQUE BOTTLE COLLECTING HOBBY

Dr. Morse's Indian Root Pills must have sold well because they were around a long time. They were first manufactured about 1850, and continued to be produced in the United States until 1959; even longer in Canada and Australia. I own an amber, bimal, rectangular, smooth base bottle, 2 5/8 inches tall, embossed Dose 2 to 4 // Morse's Indian/Root Pills // W.H. Comstock // // Dose 1/2 to 4 //. and the other, Morse's Indian / Root Pills, with Bottle / Made In / Japan on the base. The pills came in wooden pill boxes and coffin shaped tins as well. There must have been pontiled bottles, but I know of none embossed with the product name.


Morse's Indian Root Pills Bottle. -	Comstock & Co.'s Indian Vegetable Elixir.

Edwin P. Comstock (1799-1837) founded his medicine business in New York City about 1833. Brother Lucius S. (1806-1876) was employed as a clerk between 1833 and 1837. Lucius often referred to himself as a M.D. and a Counselor-at-Law. Edwin died in 1837, and Lucius with another brother Albert Lee (1820-?) carried on the business under the name of Comstock & Co. Two other brothers, John Carlton (1819-1835) and George Wells (1820-1889), were employed as clerks. The brothers never could get along and had frequent conflict. The company was renamed Comstock & Co. & Brothers until 1850, when it was called Comstock & Brother. Lawsuits finally resulted in the firm splitting into two business. William Henry (1830-1919), son of Edwin, was employed as a clerk at this time. The firm of Comstock & Brother (George W. and John C.) finally won out over Comstock & Co. (Lucius), and in the summer of 1853, Lucius got out of the business. John C. died that same year, and the firm was continued under the Comstock name with George W. and William H. plus a new partner, Baldwin L. Judson.

The Indian Root Pills were first manufactured by Andrew B. Moore and A.J. White in Buffalo, N.Y., around 1850. White approached the Comstock firm, and in 1855, they signed a contract for the manufacture and sale of the pills. However in 1858, both White and the Comstocks were manufacturing them. In

1860, as the result of a court case, Moore and White relinquished all claims to the rights of Dr. More's Pills, and Comstocks were given sole proprietorship for them. As the result of a quarrel, George left the business in 1866, and in 1867, William H. moved the firm from New York City to Morristown, New York. The business prospered there on the back of the St. Lawrence River where it remained until William Henry Comstock II (1897-1959) died.

The Comstocks gave a lengthy history of the discovery of Dr. Morse's Indian Root Pills, which pictured the doctor with his family. "The famous and celebrated Dr. Morse, after completing his education in medical science, traveled widely in Asia, Africa, Europe, and North America and spent three years among the Indians of our Western country, where he discovered the secret of the Indian Root Pills. Returning from one of these journeys after a long absence, he found his father apparently on his death bed. But let us quote the story directly: A number of years ago this good man was very sick. He had eight of the most celebrated doctors to attend him both night and day. With their skills this good and pious gentleman grew worse, and finally they gave him up, saying that it was impossible to cure him and he would soon die... In the afternoon he was taken with shortness of breath and supposed to be dying. The neighbors were sent for, the room soon filled, and many prayers were offered up from the very hearts of these dear Christian people, that some relief might be obtained for this good and pious man. While these prayers were ascending like sweet incense to the throne above, and every eye was bathed with tears, a rumbling noise was heard in the distance, like a mighty chariot winding its way near, when all at once a fine span of horses, before a beautiful coach, stood before the door, out of which alighted a noble and elegant-looking man. In a moment's time he entered the room, and embraced the hand of his dear father and mother. She clasped her arms around his neck and fainted away. The doctors surprised to see his father so nearly gone, immediately went to his coach, taking there from various plants and roots, which he had learned from the Red Men of the forests as being good for all diseases, and gave them to his father, and in about two hours afterwards he was much relieved...

Two days afterwards he was much better, and the third day he could walk about the room... and now we behold him a strong, active man, and in the bloom of health, and at the age of ninety-five able to ride in one day thirty-five miles, in order to spent his birthday with his celebrated doctor, his son."

This story, which was first disseminated as early as the late 1850's, was an entire fabrication. There never was a Dr. Morse. The originator of these pills was Andrew B. Moore. This is clear from several legal documents, including and injunction proceeding in behave of White and Moore in 1859. Throughout the patent medicine era it was the common practice to ascribe an Indian, or at least some geographically remote origin, to many nostrums and panaceas. The Comstocks did it again with at least one other product, Judson's Mountain Herb Pills.

A large number of remedies were marketed by the Comstocks. In 1854, Comstock and Co. listed 38 preparations for sale. Comstock's Indian Vegetable Elixir and Longley's Panacea were among them. Pontiled Comstock bottles known to me include: Comstock & Co.'s // Indian // Vegetable // Elixir, aqua, square, 4 1/4" inches tall; Comstock's // Vermifuge, aqua, round, 3 3/4 inches tall; Dr. Comstock's // // Hair Dye, aqua, rectangular, 4 1/4 inches tall; Comstocks // & // Brother // New York, aqua, 12 sided, 4 1/4 inches tall; Longley's // // Panacea, aqua and olive green, rectangular, 6 1/2 inches tall; Longley's / Panacea, aqua, round, 7 1/4 inches tall; Mother's Relief, Comstock & Co. (labeled only), aqua, round 8 1/2 inches tall; and Comstock & Co.'s Compound Extract of Sarsaparilla (labeled only), aqua, rectangular, 5 3/8 inches tall. I own a smooth base Comstock & Co.'s // Indian // Vegetable // Elixir, aqua, square, 4 1/8 inches tall.

What was this popular remedy good for? As recently as 1918, it was recommended as a cure for biliousness, dyspepsia, constipation, sick headache, scofula, kidney disease, liver complaint, jaundice, piles, dysentery, colds, boils, malarial fever, flatulency, foul breath, eczema, gravel, worms, female complaints, rheumatism, neuralgia, la grippe, palitation, and nervousness. I get nervous just reading through this list. And what was the formula? Originally, it was closely held secret, but in the 1930's and 40's it had to be revealed: Aloes, Mandrake, Gambage, Jalap and Cayenne Pepper. Now isn't that a lot of "bull" to come out of one small bottle?

Odell, John, Indian Bottles and Brands, Maverick Publications, Bend, Oregon, 1977.

Shaw, Robert B., History Of The Comstock Patent Medicine Business and Dr. Morse's Indian Root Pills, Smithsonian Institution Press, City of Washington, 1972.

Did you enjoy this article? Every month Antique Bottle and Glass Collector magazine gives you neat articles like this one.