Cardboard blotter for Painkiller (Perry Davis); black and white; left side has a facsimile of box; right side has title written in "oriental-slant" letters, with a description of what to take it and apply it for; company name; back: off-white paper.
Cardboard blotter for Painkiller (Perry Davis); black and white; left side has a facsimile of box; right side has title written in "oriental-slant" letters, with a description of what to take it and apply it for; company name; back: off-white paper.
Number Of Parts
1
Provenance
Purchased by Dr. M. Chiong for his patent medicine collection, July 15 1995.
"Painkiller // (PERRY DAVIS) // TAKE IT FOR // Chills, Colds, Stomach and Bowel // Cramps, Diarrhoea, etc. // APPLY IT FOR // Sprains, Bruises, Bites and Stings // Strained Muscles and Rheumatic // Pains. // TRADE MARK REGISTERED // CHILLS, CROUP, // COLDS, GRIPPE, // CRAMPS, COLIC, // DIARRHOEA, // BURNS, BRUISES, // FROST BITES, SPRAINS, // CHILBLAINS, TOOTHACHE, // SORE THROAT // MADE ONLY BY // DAVIS & LAWRENCE CO., NEW YORK AND MONTREAL"
Permanent Location
Storage Room 0010
0010-G Chiong Trade Cards Binder A
Length
15.3 cm
Width
8.7 cm
Condition Remarks
Front: right corner top creased and bent, edges are stained, especially bottom and top left; back: some small stains, left bottom corner creased; edges are soft
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.