'Patent medicines' study X-rays old-time remedies

[xchrom]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-22065078


Numerous products claiming health benefits existed in the era prior to regulation

The long-lost secrets of "patent medicines" - products that claimed health benefits in the era prior to regulation - are being revealed.

Scientists reporting at the American Chemical Society meeting have examined the contents of dozens of century-old remedies held at a US museum.

Some contained high levels of "helpful" elements such as iron or calcium, while others contained arsenic or mercury.

The exact recipes are still to be determined by the ongoing project.

[Warpy]

1. There was a reason they called it "snake oil."

The ingredients were never known and were often of a very shady provenance. While most didn't contain enough poison to kill the consumers outright since the pitchman wanted time to get out of town and disappear, preferably into the next state, continued use of the stuff over a period of months could and did prove fatal in too many cases.

And this is what the libertarians want to return us to.

[bemildred]

2. Just chock full of "illegal drugs" I would imagine. nt

[no_hypocrisy]

3. In the 19th Century in this country

painkillers could contain opium and weight-reducing pills would contain the eggs of tapeworms.

Both worked, but you died.