![]() ![]() Ayer and the Lydia Pinkham Medical Company. Minnesota was also part of this phenomenon. Massachusetts was the home base for both Dr. A number of companies were based in Ohio, including Samuel Hartman’s Peruna Drug Manufacturing Company. Many states became regional hubs for patent medicine production. Finally, patent medicine reveals dubious scientific knowledge during a time when germ theory was in its infancy. It follows the evolution of advertising in America and the rise of chromolithography printing techniques and newspaper advertisements. It is about the phenomenon of Americans self-medicating with opiates, alcohol, and herbal supplements, as well as women’s health and healthcare options. ![]() The story of patent medicine is multi-layered. As a result, many competitors offered similar formulas and freely imitated each other’s products. The term “patent medicine” referred to ingredients that had been granted a government patent but ironically many purveyors of patent medicine did not register their concoctions with the government. ![]() At a time when doctors and medical clinics were less common, especially in rural areas, patent medicines promised relief from pain and chronic conditions when few other options existed. ![]() Throughout the nineteenth century and into the early twentieth century, Americans were inundated with myriad medicinal treatments collectively known as patent medicine. By Greta Bahnemann, Metadata Librarian, Minnesota Digital Library, Minitex ![]()
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