Good for What Ails You #3

Dr. David Jayne was born in Stroudsburg, PA in 1799 and received his medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania. He founded his company in 1822, and moved it to Philadelphia in 1850.

Two of his popular remedies, Jayne's Expectorant and Jayne's Alterative, contained ingredients such as tartar emetic, spirits of camphor, ipecac, opium, lobelia, tolu balsam, digitalis, and squill.  Some of the ingredients, such as tolu balsam and squill, were probably relatively harmless, but spirits of camphor are dangerous when taken internally, with the potential to produce convulsions, hallucinations, and death. Tartar emetic is considered highly toxic, and ipecac can induce vomiting. Lobelia can also induce vomiting and has other side effects if you can keep it down. Digitalis slows the heart rate and can cause irregular pulse, blurred vision, and nausea. Although the opium might induce a feeling of well being, it could also cause nausea and vomiting, and is addictive. It's hard to imagine that anyone could keep from vomiting up these remedies, a reaction which was probably in the patient's best interests.

But aren't the pictures lovely?

Oh dear, look at those glassy eyes. I think mother, daughter, and cat may all be addicted to opium now.

I'd hate to think what's in the vermifuge that you're supposed to give to your weak child who may or may not have worms. Albert Brundage's Manual of Toxicology from 1909 and 1920 lists the ingredients for Jayne's vermifuge as sodium santonate, pink root, jalap, erigeron, and turpentine. This may have worked to rid someone of worms, but I can't imagine it left anyone feeling stronger.

Jayne's vermifuge was produced long after Dr. Jayne died. In 1943, the Food and Drug Administration issued a notice of judgment that Jayne's vermifuge was ineffective:

Jayne's Vermifuge.—Dr. D. Jayne and Son, Inc., Philadelphia. Shipped
Dec. 18, 1943. Composition: essentially extracts of plant drugs and a
small amount of potassium carbonate, with sugar, alcohol and water,
flavored with peppermint oil. Misbranded because falsely represented to
remove large roundworms from children and adults, whereas tests on
humans and laboratory animals showed that it did not do this.—ID. D.
N. J., F. D. C. 1237; June 1945.]


Uh-oh, this one's high on opiates too.

Streetcar Sunday - Auburn, New York

Starting in 1901, there was interurban service between Auburn and Skaneateles, New York. Soon thereafter, the service merged with Auburn City Railway and became the Auburn and Syracuse Electric Railway.

In 1927, it declared bankruptcy, and streetcar service in Albany ended. Interurban service continued until 1930. You may recall an earlier post here about Auburn, New York and its famous prison, where the first execution by electric chair took place. It's also where the striped prison uniforms were first introduced. In the early days, this was considered a model prison, and visitors could pay to see the operation and its prisoners.

Here's the back of the postcard, which was sent in 1909:

The message to Mrs. William Connely (?) of Elmira, New York reads:

We got you postal this noon and was glad to here that you was in Elmira yet How is your baby these warm days

Loretta Hindon (?)

Grace Kelly - Chinese Card

This is an unusual postcard of Grace Kelly wearing a Chinese silk blouse. The card is from Hong Kong and describes Grace Kelly as the winner of an Academy Award in 1955. Close - she actually received the Oscar for best actress in 1954. And by the end of 1955, Grace Kelly was engaged to marry Prince Rainier of Monaco.