The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1867-06-12
THE PArEET-MEDICINE BUSINESS.
How Fortunes Have Been Made.


The profit of patent medicines !"
is illustrated by some statements
made in a recent report upon the
manufacturing resources of Buffalo.
1t first mentions the success of Mr.
Loyeridge, the inventor of the
Wahoo Bitters." Another instance
is that of a Mr.. Swain. poor Phila-
delphia book binder. He had kind
of sore on his leg that troubled him
very much. One day as he was run
ming over the pages of book he was
binding, his eye came across a recipe
for making syrup which was said to
cure scrofula, kings evil and other
diseases of the blood. He copied it,
got some of the materials at drug
shop, took the; medicine, and in time
was cured. He then made some for
his friends and acquaintance, and
finally left ibis binders counter ami
entered upon the manufacture of
Swaim's panacea." 1t began to sell,
and finally its fame spread wherever
civilization had gone, and in some
parts where the people do not enjoy
that blessing to this day. He paid
enormously for advertising, and after
many years he built blocks of
stores and splendid mansions in
Philadelphia, where they appear
in all their magnificent proper
tons, the pride of the city and
a monument to the memory and en-
terprise of a patent medicine man.
He died and left his heirs million or
more.
DR.. David Jayne died in Philadel-
phia few days ago, leaving $3,000.-
900. He commenced thirty FIVE years
since, as poor as he could be, in put
ting up round of what he called
a. family medicines" such as sanative
pills, carminative balsam, worm med
icine, expectorant, and score of
other curative preparations. Phila-
delphia is dotted with towering struc-
lures erected by him. He had great
taste for the tall and massive order of
architecture. His residence stands on
Chestnut Street, near the Sehuylkill
bridge. The edi6ce is of pure marble,
and is the most exquisite mansion in
Philadelphia. 57f e
DIR. Schenck was Philadelphian.
He put up a syrup for curing con-
sumption, and at one time kept a
small office in CORTLAND Street, New
York. For many years it was up hill
work to make the medicine take, but
by dint of persistent advertising he
weathered the storm, and has come
out all right. The Doctor owns large
farm on the New York and Philadel-
phia Railroad in New Jersey. The
station named after him is at that
point, where the travellers see in large
letters as they go by" Consumption
Can be Cured He is probably
worth his hundreds of thousands by
this time, all made from the sale of a
patent medicine. There are scores of
others in Philadelphia, whose names
escape us at this moment, who have
realized large fortunes, and built for
themselves splendid mansions in that
city, out of the same line of business.
1t may be thirty five years ago that
DIR. Benjamin Brandreth made his de-
but in New York, as a vender of
pills. 1t was alleged at that time
that he procured his recipe from an
old man who came over with him In
the ship from England, or that he be-
came acquainted with it in New York.
1t makes no matter which. When he
first started in Hudson Street he was
too poor to advertiser and for some
time sold his pills by the single box. !.
until he acquired sufficient