Blake rectangular clear glass bottle with long cylindrical neck and a tooled, flanged lip with a flat top and squared edges; printed paper label which goes all around the outside and lists product information; full of liquid and is sealed with a wax-covered cork in the neck all four panels are rece…
Blake rectangular clear glass bottle with long cylindrical neck and a tooled, flanged lip with a flat top and squared edges; printed paper label which goes all around the outside and lists product information; full of liquid and is sealed with a wax-covered cork in the neck all four panels are recessed; veterinary medicine.
Number Of Parts
1
Provenance
Purchased by Dr. M.Chiong for his patent medicine collection, from Kim Snyder (Toronto) on July 9 1994.
Bottle bottom embossed, "L 7"; label reads, "DR. BELL'S // Veterinary Medical Wonder // DOSE BY DROPS - NO DRENCHING // A great remedy for the most common ail- // ments of domestic animals. Used in the treat- // ment of Pain, Colic, Inflammation of the // Bowels or Kidneys, Stoppages of the Urine, Fevers, Chills, Coughs, Scours (White Scours // in Calves), Distemper, Azoturia, "Black // Water", Thumps, Shipping Fever, Tonic, // Nervous Exhaustion // Directions: [listed] // DOSE: [listed] DR. BELL WONDER MEDICINE CO. // KINGSTON, ONT., CANADA // WINNIPEG, MAN. // 6 DRAMS"
Permanent Location
Storage Room 0010
0010-A5-5 Box 5 Row D
Dimension Notes
Length: 10.4 cm. x Width: 3.4 cm. x Depth: 1.8 cm.
Condition Remarks
The bottle is unopened and retains its original seal; there are no chips, cracks or wear on the bottle; the label is complete and fully legible, and shows only minor wear at the edges; cork is complete; there are remnants of a wax seal over the cork
Copy Type
Original
Reference Types
Book
Document
Reference Comments
"Canadian Bottle and Stoneware Collector Magazine," issue No. 16, April/May/June 1996, p. 27; "Bottles" by Michael Polak, pp. 19 & 21; label from Dr. Chiong's exhibit, formerly at Queen's University Bracken Library; a binder of information on Dr. Bell and his company is with Dr. Chiong's written records.
Research Facts
Veterinarian Dr. George W. Bell (1858-1927), graduated from the Ontario Veterinary College 1880; practised veterinary medicine in the U.S. for 13 years. Returning to Kingston he established a veterinarian clinic on Brock Street, and continued to produce his patent medicines for use in farm livestock and pet animals under the business name of ‘Dr. Bell’s Wonder Medicine Company’. Dr. Bell made both veterinary and human remedies.
Dr. Bell’s Wonder Medicine was used as a sort of "cure all" but especially in the treatment of colic and inflammation and for cough and chills. The ingredients were aconite, belladonna, digitalis and nux vomica (strychnine).
He was principal (1895-1897) for the new Kingston Veterinary College at Queen’s University. By 1919 he was the milk inspector.
The operation of Dr. Bell’s Wonder Medicine Company was headed by his son. In 1936 when the United States Food and Drug Administration accused Dr. Bell’s Wonder Medicine Company of “misbranding.” Bottles were seized and analyzed under the Food and Drug Act. Labelled at 40 per cent alcohol, the tests concluded the mixture contained between 63 per cent and 65 per cent per bottle. Legal action ensued. In later years, the once-respected and prosperous company was labelled as quackery.