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Patten Medicines, Swamp Root, Snake Oil, they came in many different names as well as hundreds of different types of cures. Just about every different type of chemical compound, one could think of. I have always marveled at the gull some people go to, to make a buck. I have collected bottles and dug several bottle dumps over the years and I have found dozens of Medicine bottles but if they were not embossed, you never know what the bottle contained at one time. In the mid 1960 I was given a box of patten medicines bottles and containers which were intact. Most of the medicines boxes were gone but the bottle or box and it contents were in tact. These patten medicines still bear their label. I have help seal the bottles cork by waxing over the top of the cork at the seam with the bottle and store them on their side. When ever I want a little laugh I read one of the label's or the list of contents and if the contents list is true it is no longer funny. I did not picture all of the patten medicines containers I have but some of the ones I really like. In 1906 the Pure Food and Drug Act was enacted partly because of Patten Medicines such as "Mrs. Winslow's Soothing Syrup for Teething Children" which worked well in fact to well. It was found to contain Opium and when a mother gave her baby to much the baby went to sleep never to awake again. I could list more examples but I will just copy the ingredients directly from the bottle of Ullerine Save which I fell sums up everything wrong with patten Medicines. "Linseed Oil, Venice Turpentine, Rosin, Barbadose Tar, Oxide of Lead, Amber, Oil Juniper Berries, Crude Patroleum." I copied the label to the letter without leaving anything out or adding anything or correcting any miss spellings. In the picture of the containers you will see a bottle of "Knoxit Globules" which the bottle's label contains the following "These Globules are especially prepared for those who desire an internal medicine. Are easy to take and leave no ill effect." After thinking about how to photograph these items I wandered how a complaint letter to a patten medicine "Doctor" might read once the buyer did not have any results with the medicine, so I made one, hope it brings a laugh. I use "Moffat's Vegetable Life Pills to direct the complaint letter to. When you're looking at bottles in a antique store if a medicine bottle has it label read it most of the time it will make you laugh. Hardbrake