Patent medicines were produced and sold in England as early as the 1630s, and began to be advertised for sale in the American colonies in the 18th century. They flourished during the 19th and early 20th centuries as inexpensive treatments flooded the market. Products such as “Flagg’s Japanese Pain Relievo”promised to cure conditions as dissimilar as headaches, poison ivy, sprains, and frostbite. Outlandish claims and poor results led many of these products to be labeled quack medicines.
Flagg, E. E. It Will Do You Good. ca. 1900. Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association, American Centuries. https://americancenturies.org/collection/l01-073/. Accessed on January 22, 2025.
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