Dr. Ingham’s Nervine Pain Extractor Bottle- Vergennes, VT (3D)
Institution: Castleton University Digital Archaeology Project
State: Vermont
Object: Bottle
Era: 20th Century
This bottle is part of the Castleton University Medical College collection and reflects a significant point in 20th-century food and beverage laws. H. A. Ingham owned a late-19th century proprietary medicine shop in Vergennes, Vermont. The company produced two products labeled "Nervine Pain Extractor"- vegetable liver pills and the liquid elixir seen above.
In 1906, the Pure Food & Drug Act required all patent medicines to label their list of ingredients, while prohibiting advertisements of therapeutic claims or other misleading statements. However, the act did not regulate certain ingredients in patent medicines, particularly those that contained high amounts of alcohol or opioids. The effects of the act are clearly evident on the bottle's label with mention of its "84% ALCOHOL" content and "NO NARCOTICS".
Despite the efforts of the 1906 Pure Food and Drug Act, little progress had been made towards curbing false advertisements. The majority of Dr. Ingham's advertisements featured babies or cherub-looking adults aimed at children, suggesting the extractor was "safe and harmless for children, and positively beneficial". His products also claimed to "subdue raging fever, cure typhoid fever, lung fever, scarlet fever, rheumatic fever, cholera" and 18 other conditions. By 1915, however, the United States Department of Agriculture charged H. A. Ingram with over 50 legal actions against fraudulent claims. He pleaded guilty and was ordered to pay a $100 fine.
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