Electric Bitters

I can't find the ingredients for this patent medicine, but I'll bet it packed a kick.

Here's the story of its creation, as given also below.

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Comments

If the stuff wasn't 100 proof then it wouldn't work regardless of how much of that newfangled 'trizzaty you ran through it.

Posted by Expat47 in Athens, Greece on 07/23/12 at 09:59 AM

Laudanum (opium), cocaine, and alcohol were the usual ingredients for the patent medicine trade. Yes indeed, they would pack quite a kick. I believe it's where we get the phrase "Mother's Little Helper" - a shot for moth baby and mom and the afternoon is a bit more tolerable.

Posted by KDP on 07/23/12 at 10:26 AM

Give a baby alcohol? Why just last week some woman gave her 2yo a splash of beer in his sippy-cup and got herself arrested! Here's the story.

Posted by Expat47 in Athens, Greece on 07/23/12 at 10:40 AM

In Victorian England, gin was what helped mothers make it through the day. It was called Mothers' Ruin. And led to the phrase, "Have another dummy-full of gin, dear." A dummy is a baby's pacifier.

My late MIL used to swear that Coca-Cola had something powerful in it - much more powerful than caffeine. Rumor is it was cocaine, but Coke deny that.

Posted by TheCannyScot in Atlanta, GA on 07/23/12 at 11:13 AM

I found this:
http://www.bucklinsociety.net/notedbucklins/medical-Bucklins.htm
"Electric Brand Laxative, Formerly called Electric Brand Bitters. A Family laxative ... contains Senna, Rhubarb, Cascara, Sagrada, Hops, Aloes, Wahoo, Dandelion, Gentian, Uva Ursi, Tansey, Chamomile and Quassia, Combined with Aromatics...[and] 18% Alcohol."

More here:
http://www.bottlepickers.com/bottle_articles.htm#king

Posted by tadchem on 07/23/12 at 11:18 AM

I also have heard that Coca-Cola originally had cocaine in it. I went to Wikipedia and it said that it was first a patent medicine that was used to cure Morphine addiction etc.

Posted by Skytt on 07/23/12 at 11:42 AM

It was the booze that zapped ya! I have heard the same thing about coke having cocaine in it back in the day. And they say the sugar in it is addicting today.

Posted by Patty in Ohio, USA on 07/23/12 at 10:09 PM

Trade whiskey with one gallon of pure alcohol. Add:
- 1 handful of red peppers
- 1LB plug chewing tobacco for colour
- 1QT molasses
- 2 rattlesnake heads
- 10 gallons of water

Posted by BMN on 07/24/12 at 02:39 PM

Asa Candler went on to found Coca-Cola after buying the tonic formula of pharmacist Pemberton. Didn't know about this earlier, and less tasty, snake oil.

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Posted by Expat47 in Athens, Greece on 09/24/12 at 05:27 AM

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