Transparent rectangular glass bottle of Perry Davis Pain Killer with sloped shoulders tapered at neck with long neck with about 1.0 cm of thick brown liquid; red metal cap closure; cream paper labels have decorative graphics including portrait for Mr. Perry, product's and manufacturer's name and ad…
Transparent rectangular glass bottle of Perry Davis Pain Killer with sloped shoulders tapered at neck with long neck with about 1.0 cm of thick brown liquid; red metal cap closure; cream paper labels have decorative graphics including portrait for Mr. Perry, product's and manufacturer's name and address; back label has trade mark proprietary legal information and directions for use.
Number Of Parts
1
Provenance
Transferred from the Parks Canada Agency, via Gail Cariou of the Curatorial and Collections Branch.
Printed on main label: "JOY TO THE WORLD // PERRY DAVIS' // VEGETABLE // PAIN KILLER // Manufactured by // DAVIS & LAWRENCE CO. // NEW YORK // AT MONTREAL // HOPE"; printed on back label: "TRADE PAIN KILLER MARK // ORDINARY DOSE: For Adults: 1 teaspoonful // diluted in wineglass or more sweetened water. // Children: 4 to 12 years, 1/2 teaspoonful diluted. // Infants: 1 to 4 years, 15 drops diluted in proportion. // For full directions and external uses see Booklet. // No. 6450 The Proprietary or Patent Medicine Act. // Principal Label Davis & Lawrence Co., Montreal"; Embossed on sides: "VEGETABLE // PAINKILLER"; embossed on bottle's center: "DAVIS"
Permanent Location
Storage Room 0010
0010-A4-8 Box 5 Row D
Length
16.4 cm
Width
5.0 cm
Depth
2.7 cm
Unit Of Measure
centimeters
Condition Remarks
Label has minor frayed around edges, missing small area on lower left; cap has several minor dents and several minor scratches to finish
Copy Type
Original
Research Facts
Perry Davis’ Pain Killer, a combination of opium, alcohol, and other substances, was formulated in 1839 and marketed successfully worldwide within 4 decades as both an internal and external pain remedy. Perry Davis (1791–1862) was born in Dartmouth, Massachusetts. Perry Davis began to manufacture his Vegetable Painkiller in 1839. His son Edmund carried on the business after Perry's death in 1862; product available up until 1958.
Perry Davis' Vegetable Pain Killer is reported to have been given to both soldiers and horses during the American Civil War. Davis trademarked the name "Pain Killer" and was at last a financial success.
This product is said to be one of the first directed specifically at pain management, rather than a particular disease or ailment. It was distributed worldwide by missionaries, and was considered a wonder drug.
In 1955, Canada Packers bought the Canadian patent of Davis & Co., Davis & Lawrence for many years.