Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1867-06-10


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THE PATENT MEDICINE BUSINESS.
The profit of 'spatent medicines is illustrat-
ed by some statements made IN a recent report
upon the manufacturing resources OF BdEalo.
It first mentions the success of Mr.. Loveridge,
the inventor of the 'Wahoo BittcrS. " Another
instance is that of Mr. Swain, poor PhilaSS
delphia book binder He had a kind of sore on
his leg which troubled him very much. One
day as be was running over the pages Of a book
he was binding he came across recipe Tor
making a syrup which was said would cure
scrotula, king $ evil and other diseases OF the
blood. He copied it, got some of the materials
at the drug shop, took the medicine, and in
time was cured He then made some for his
friends and acquaintances, and finally left his
binder counter, and entered upon the manu-
facture of 'sSWain's pauacea. 1t began to
sell, and finally Its fame spread wherever civil
ization had gone, and In some parts where the
people dc not enjoy that blessing to this day.
lie paid enormously for advertising and after
many years he built blocks of stores and splenl
did mansions 10 Philadelphia, where they ap
pear in all their magnificent proportions, the
pride Of the city and monument to the mem
ory and enterprise Of patent medicine man.
He died and left his heirs million or more.
DR.. David Jayne died in Philadelphia year
or so ago, leaving S3,000,000. Hecommenced
about thirty-fvo years since, as poor as he
could be, in putting up a round Of what he
called family medicines, such as sauatve
pills. carminative balsam, worm medicine, ex-
pectorant, and a score of other curative prepa-
rations Philadelphia is dotted with towering
structures erected by him. He had great taste
for the tall and massive order OF architecture.
His residence stands on Chestnut street, near
the Schuylkill bridge The edi6ce is of pure
marble, and is the most exquisite mansion in
Philadelphia.
DR.. Schenck was a Philadelph;an. He put
up syrup ior curing consumption, and at one
time kept q small Office in CORTLAND street,
New York For many years it was up hill
work to make the medicine take, but by dlnt
Of persistent advertising he weathcred the
storm, and has come out all right. The Doctor
owns large farm on the New York and Phil
ade!phia railroad in New Jersey. The station
named after him is at that point where travei-
ers see in large letters as they 60 by Con
sumption Can be Cured. He IS probably
worth his hundreds of thousands by tins tlme'
all made from the sale of a patent medicne- -
There are scores OF others in Philadelphia,
whose names escape us at this moment who
lave realized large fortunes and built Tor them
selves splepdid mansions in that city out OF the
same line of business.
1t may be thirty-tiVe years ago that DR.. ben
;amin Rrandreth made his debut in New ork
asa vendor of pills 1t was alleged, at the
time, that he procured his recipe from an old
man that either came over with him IN the
shin from England, rthat he became acqualnt-
ed with in New York. 1t makes no mat
ter which. When he first started in hudson
street be was too poor to advertise, ana lor
some time sold his pills by the slngle box unit
he acquired sufficient sum to put short adj
vertisenent in the Sum- As the pills began to
sejI he increased the manufacture and estab-
lisbed agencies in all cases leaving them with
booksellers, never allowing druggists to sell
them as his agents After while be found
the druggists were selling more than he was
manufacturing, which on investigation proved
that they were an imitation article. This
gave him good chance to caution the public
against counterfeits. In time he opened
central Office in Broadway, above Warren
street, which for long time renamed his
principal Office At length he made terms
with the druggists, and the pills became re-
gular article on the price list OF wholesale
houses. Afterwards site was purchased at
Yonkers where factory was built, which sup
piled the demand. A sloop carried loaa OF
hocsheads of pill boxes up, and brought loao
Of bills in boxes back The Doctor probably
owns O. steamboat to do his carrying business
now. We have nc means OF estimating nj;
riches The Brandreth House, corner OF
Broadway and Canal street, is owned by him,
and we presume he owns whole squares OF
hther real estate in that city. ga#
Doctor Ayers, of Lowell, came very near
running all his relatives after he started his
pills sarsaparilla and cherry pectoral. 1t was
tedious time he had in fighting advertising
bills and other expenses. He spent what lttlf
he had, borrowed all his relatives had, Till hnaL
" the medicines began to make returns, an(
from that time-some twenty years-hc ma n1
been making money. he owns paper mlIl
where he makes a peculiar paper when h'
claims is not easily counterteited, IN which n
wrans his various preparations People VII
estimate his wealth run him into millions: A
onn time he was, if he is not still, heayv
stakeholder ia the New York Tribune Assocla
tion. Such men are apt to leave their imprint
even if thew make their money IN the manu-
iacture of patent medicines. :, I.
William B. Moffat was q silk merchant /
New York. Besides being bankrupt, III
health had become very much impaired lrol
overwork aad trouble OF one kind or another
In his extremity he conceived the idea OF MAJ
ing pill and bitters. This cured his lnhrm
ties and made millionaire of him in less tina
twenty years. Persons familiar with New Y or
can tell the number of magnificent stores
owns on Broadway and other parts of the city
He died some years ago, but the pills and bi
tiers didn't. The heirs carry on the bushes
Perry Davis, the pain-kiier man; Dona
Kennedy, proprietor of the great medical di
has 1ah refused sS 9d6 hVP'fS W Fow R
boraiv bomaht Wistar's balsam of wild cherry fro
Isaac Butts, Of Rochester; Demas Barnes,
@ Nsw York % the largest patent medicine dep
in America; Hostettcr, Helmbold, the Mexlo