ANOTHER "PATENT MEDICINE ARTICLE" FROM THE PAGES OF ANTIQUE BOTTLE AND GLASS COLLECTOR MAGAZINE THE MAGAZINE OF THE ANTIQUE BOTTLE COLLECTING HOBBY |
You may not have been collecting old medicines in
December, 1974, when “L.B. Outlar Bottles” was
published in Bottle News, or even in May, 1986, when 
“I Dig Digging” appeared in Medicine Chest. I
want to tell something more about my favorite old drug store,
L.B. Outlar Drug Co. of Wharton, Texas, but first, Leonard B.
Outlar began in 1899, in the building, which still stands today
as the Wharton Drug Co. His son and grandson were physicians, and
I practiced with them both for 20 years. Outlar Drug embossed
bottles are scarce, but I was able to dig 2 of the 4 known
complete specimens while living in Wharton (1962-1982).
Dr. Pierce's Extract of Smart Weed, R.V. Pierce, M.D., Buffalo, N.Y.
Last year, my friend Bubba Sommer, Wharton collector and pharmacist, called, “You've got to come down and see what's under the paint on the side of Wharton Drug”. The next day, there it was, “Dr. Pierce's Favorite Prescription”. “—Co.” and “The Rexall Store” were above.
I have a 1903 photo of the store, and the side appears with the original red brick surface and five signs attached near the front corner: a Coca-Cola, a Curdui, a Sherwin-Williams; the other two are not identifiable. When the Dr. Pierce ad was applied, I do no know. The second floor was for doctors' offices, and up front was Dr. Green Davidson who started his practice in Wharton in 1895, and was the first doctor between Houston and Victoria to purchase and use an x-ray machine after they became available in 1896. We found some of Dr. Davidson's x-rays. They were of good quality but on plate glass rather then celluloid.
Ray Vaughn Pierce graduated from medical school
in 1862, and in his late twenties began to practice in Buffalo,
N.Y. By the early 1870s, he had opened his “World's
Dispensary”, and soon his medicines were distributed
throughout the U.S. and into 
foreign countries. Thousands came to his invalid home
for treatment. He practiced surgery as well, and had a staff of
over 15 doctors. Several books were authored and they were
reprinted and revised many times. I have the 63rd
edition of The People's Common Sense Medical Advisor, put out
in 1895.
L.B. Outlar & Co., Drug Store, Wharton, Texas, 1903.
I recently acquired an aqua, bimal, rectangular bottle, 2 1/4 inches tall embossed Dr. Sages // Catarrh / Remedy // Buffalo // Dr. Pierce / Propr. My Dr. Pierce's Favorite Prescription bottles have both the double collar and the long tapered collar, 8 1/2 and 8 1/4 inches tall, my Dr. Pierce's Golden Medical Discovery bottle has the long tapered collar, and is 8 inches tall, and my Extract of Smart Weed is 5 inches tall. All are aqua and rectangular. The two Dr. Pierce's Anuric Tablets For The Kidneys and Backache are 3 3/4 and 3 inches tall and round, the larger in aqua and the smaller, clear. These bottles come in yellow amber. There is also a stock bottle, aqua, oval, 7 inches tall embossed inside a circle Prescribed / by / R.V. Pierce, M.D. / Buffalo / N.Y. Pierce put out an Alterative, Cough Syrup, Lotion Tablets, Pleasant Pellets, Purgative Pectoral, and Salve, but I am not aware that any of them came in embossed bottles.
In 1903, a Ladies' Home Journal article claimed that both Dr. Pierce's Favorite Prescription and Golden Medical Discovery contained opium. Pierce sued, and no bottles of the medicine containing opium could be found. Dr. Pierce made this statement: “solemnly swear that I have exact knowledge of the ingredients of my Favorite Prescription and that it does not and never did contain alcohol, opium, digitalis, or any other poisonous or injurious article, as a compounded at our chemical laboratory or sold through druggists”. However, The Massachusetts State Board of Health did find opium in the 1880s.
Well, nobody's perfect....
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