The Quack Doctor

While Bile Beans were initially pitched as a cure for biliousness, the influenza epidemic of 1899 was too good an opportunity to miss. Horrible though the ‘flu was, a lot of people would recover after a week or so anyway, and it was an easy matter for quacks to point to cases where the recovery coincided with the taking of their medicine.

A leaflet enclosed with the Beans stated that they were also a cure for cirrhosis of the liver, blackheads, and all female complaints, and later they were mainly targeted at women, using glamorous pictures that now appear incongruous with the unattractive product name. Although the leaflet said that the Beans did not include mercury, bismuth, or aloes, they did contain aloin - an aloe extract with laxative properties that is no longer considered safe because of its potential side effects. The other ingredients were cardamom, peppermint oil and wheat flour, with a black gelatine coating. (More Secret Remedies, BMA, 1912) 

THE INFLUENZA PLAGUE
_____________

A NEW SPECIFIC

Mr. A. S. Selwyn, of No. 4 Emily-street, Warrickville, N.S.W., says that Charles Forde’s Bile Beans pulled him round from a terrible attack of influenza when all else failed. Interviewed by a representative regarding his recovery he said:— “Not long since I was attacked most severely with influenza: such a hold did it get upon me that I was obliged to leave my work, and I was confined to the house for over a week. Anyone at my place of business will verify this statement, as I have often complained to them, and they know full well that I have suffered keenly. I went through all the stages of this miserable complaint, being assailed continually with a cold and headache, pains in various parts of my body, and a general disinclination for exertion of any kind. While confined to the house I tried various remedies, but all to no effect. This was the state of things when I happened to have Charles Forde’s Bile Beans brought under my notice, and I thought I would try them. Well, Sir, I must say I was surprised at the amount of good they did me; not only did they completely cure me of influenza, but also of several other complaints, notably biliousness and indigestion, from which I suffered. Immediately after I began taking them I commenced to experience relief, and in a surprisingly short time I was completely cured. Since that time I have not had the slightest return of any of my complaints, and I ascribe my speedy and thorough cure to Bile Beans for Biliousness, and I heartily recommend them as a grand cure for influenza.”
The reader should bear in mind that what Bile Beans will do for one they will do for others. They have proved themselves an undoubted specific for biliousness, indigestion, constipation, rheumatism, sciatica, lumbago, gout, influenza, debility, dyspepsia, headache, insomnia, liver complaints, and piles. At this season of the year the liver’s action is very bad, causing chills, numbness of the hands, and in such cases Bile Beans will be found very effective. Bile Beans are obtainable from chemists generally, or the Bile Beans manufacturing Company will forward direct from their London Depot, 119 and 120, London Wall, one box for 1s 1½d or 2s 9d (large box holds three small). Please mention this paper if you are writing.

Source:  The Northern Echo, (Darlington) Thursday 16 Nov 1899

The story behind the Beans went that an Australian scientist, Charles Forde, had discovered an ancient aboriginal remedy. The actual inventor was a Canadian called Charles E Fulford (I don’t know if he was connected to the Fulfords of Dr Williams’ Pink Pills fame), and the story about the aborigines was completely made up. Although this was revealed during a 1905 court case where Fulford sued the proprietor of an imitation product, the Bile Beans became very popular in the 20th century and were still on sale in the 1980s.

Thank you to teaandcakes on Flickr for the 1940s advertising picture

Grimstone’s Eye Snuff was widely advertised, purportedly at a cost of £5000 per year to its inventor. Testimonials were often included in the ads, and the product even inspired one satisfied customer to write a poem about it (Quoted in The Champion and Weekly Herald, 3 Feb 1839):

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From Blackwood’s Lady’s Magazine for May 1838. To Mr. W. Grimstone, on his valuable invention of the Eye-Snuff, made from British herbs, for the diseased organs of the head and eyes:—

Great was the power that did to man impart
Creative genius and inventive art;
The second praise is, doubtless, Grimstone, thine!
Wise was thine head, and great was thy design.
Our precious sight from danger now set free
Wives, widows, fathers, praises sing to thee.

19 Bell-street, Edgware-road, Marylebone.   ELIZ. ROBSON

__________________

Here is the advert for today:

    SIGHT   RESTORED,   and   Nervous    Head-ache
cured—Numerous  testimonials  and   references   of   the   first   re-
spectability  may  be   seen   at  the  manufactory,  39,  Broad-street,
Bloomsbury, and  24,  King-street,  Long-acre,  proving  cataract,  in-
flammations, and all other diseases of the eyes and head completely
eradicated, glasses left off after using them 20 years, and the breath
rendered impervious to  contagion,  by  taking  GRIMSTONE’s  EYE
SNUFF.  Thousands  have  been  restored  by  this  delightful  com-
pound of the  most  choice  aromatic  and  odiferous  herbs.  A  fact
too well known to be doubted. Observe the signature of  the  inventor
on each canister, “with the  Patronage  of  His  late  Majesty  and the
Lords of  the  Treasury.”  Sold  in  canisters,  1s. 3d., 2s. 4d., 4s. 4d.,
and 8s. each, by almost every tobacconist in the world. All are  spuri-
ous that have not the inventor’s signature.

Source: The Times, Saturday 6 April 1833 

__________________

Dr. A L Wigan, in his A New View of Insanity (1844) claimed (approvingly) that Grimstone’s snuff comprised nothing but black pepper. He didn’t give any evidence for this, however, and perhaps more reliable is the analysis done by Dr Hassall of the Lancet Analytical Sanitary Commission in 1855, which suggested that it contained a variety of herbs including orris-root, savory, rosemary and lavender, plus a fairly high proportion of salt. There was no actual tobacco in it and so it was not an exciseable article, but the Stamp Office nevertheless made several attempts to prosecute Mr Grimstone for selling it without tax. They also turned their attention to retailers of the snuff, with the result that Mr Grimstone was beseiged by angry stockists demanding that he take back his supplies and pay their fines. In 1850 this left him insolvent with debts of £6000. He did, however, manage to continue selling the snuff and other herbal products until his death in 1862 at the age of 71.

A 1s 1½d tin contained 50 lozenges, and the recommended dose was one or two lozenges at bedtime and up to 10 during the course of the day. The ingredients were morphine, ipecacuanha, extract of licorice, and sugar, held together by tragacanth gum.

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     KEATING’S     COUGH        LOZENGES.
“94, Commercial Road, Peckham, July 12, 1889.
      “Dear Sir,— I  am  a  poor  hand  at  expressing  my
feelings,    but    I   should   like   to   thank   you.   Your
lozenges have  done  wonders  in  relieving  my  terrible
cough.  Since  I  had   the   operation   of   ’Tracheotomy’
(the same as the late Emperor of Germany,  and  unlike
him,   thank   God,   I   am   still  alive)  performed  at  St.
Bartholomew’s  Hospital,  no  one  could  possibly  have
had  a  more  violent  cough;  it was so bad at times that
it   quite   exhausted  me.  The  mucus,  which  was  very
copious and hard, had been softened, and I have  been
able  to   get   rid   of   it   without   difficulty. — I am,   sir,
yours truly, J. HILL.
                           UTTERLY UNRIVALLED.
     The  above  speaks  for  itself.  From  strict  inquiry  it
appears  that the  benefit  from  using  Keating’s  Cough
Lozenges is understated. The operation was a specially
severe one, and  was  performed  by  the  specialist,  Dr.
H.  T.   Butlin,   of   St.   Bartholomew’s   Hospital.   Since
the   operation   the  only  means  of  relief  is  the use of
these   Lozenges.   So   successful   are   they  that  one
affords   immediate   benefit,  although  from  the  nature
of the case the throat irritation is intense.
                               WEIGHT IN GOLD.
     Under  date  Sept.  8,  Mr  Hill  writes:  ”I  should  long
since have been dead but  for your Lozenges—they are
worth   their   weight  in  gold.  I  will  gladly  see  and  tell
anyone   what   a   splendid   cough   remedy   they  are.”
    Keating’s Lozenges are sold in tins, 1s 1½d each. The
unrivalled   remedy    for    COUGHS,    HOARSENESS,
and THROAT TROUBLES.

Source: The Northern Echo, Tuesday 20 March 1894

Another very long advert today. Thomas Clarkson was a member of the Royal College of Surgeons, but his method of cure, which isn’t named in this ad, was a patent medicine by the name of Clarkson’s Specific for Bad Legs. Initially, Clarkson treated the afflicted in person, but because this often meant they had to find lodgings near his home for weeks on end, he soon began selling the remedy so that people could treat themselves. He also provided “Tonic Aperient Pills” to maintain general health.

Mr. Clarkson’s career as a General Practitioner lasted 53 years. In 1885 the Hospital Gazette and Students’ Journal reported: 

“At the last meeting of the Council, the name of Mr Thomas Clarkson, of Darley, Ripley, was struck off the roll of the College because he declined to discontinue advertising a sovereign remedy, which he professes to have discovered.”

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Image: Physician attending to a leg wound. 18thC, exact date unknown. Carl August Grossman. Courtesy of the US National Library of Medicine.

                       NO   CURE   NO   PAY
      MR.    CLARKSON,    SURGEON,    engages    to     Cure
a   Disease,   oftentimes   considered    incurable,    of   however
long  standing;  and,  to  enhance  the  value  of  the Cure,  Mr. C.
is enabled to give instructions which will make  it  a  lasting  cure.
Mr. C. guarantees not to make any charge without a perfect cure,
a convincing proof that  he can  infallibly  cure  the  Disease.  The
Disease  is  what  is called a  BAD  LEG, an old wound, mostly a
little   above   the  ancle.  Mr.  C.  could  give  fifty  cases  of  extra-
ordinary cures, after  the  most eminent Surgeons, and even Hos-
pitals  and  Infirmaries,  have  failed:  he  gives  a  few  Cases  as
references.
   1st. Miss Netherwood, of Silsden, has had a  bad  leg, and was
in despair some length of time. Mr. C. has cured her.
   2nd.   Mr.  John  Ayrton,  of   Manningham,   near  Bradford, has
been afflicted with a bad leg  or  old  ulcer  for a  long  time, trying
Surgeons,  Quacks, and  all things.—Mr. C. cured  him in a month.
   3rd.  Mr.  W.  Waterhouse, carpet   manufacturer,  of  Dewsbury,
has had a very  bad  leg  for  some  time.—Cured  in three weeks.
   4th.  Mrs.  Gill,  of   Hampsthwaite,   near  Harrogate,  has  been
sorely  afflicted  for   ten   years;   her   health  had  become  much
impaired  from  constant  pain and  irritation.  Four years ago she
was  eight  weeks in  Leeds  Infirmary  without  relief.—Mr. C. has
cured her.
   5th. Miss  Eliz.  Binns, of Felliscliffe,  near  Harrogate,  suffered
17 years. Ten years ago one Surgeon  wanted  to  cut  her leg off.
Several surgeons  and a Physician gave  partial  relief. She  was
three  times  in Leeds  Infirmary, and the  last  time was discharg-
ed incurable.—Cured in seven weeks.
   Copy of a letter received by  Mr. C. from  a Gentleman, a  Spirit
                   Merchant, at Slaithwaite, near Huddersfield.
   SIR,—You   have  earned  my   lasting  gratitude and respect for
the  wonderful  cure you have performed of my  wife,  in  5  weeks,
after enduring  pain  and  misery  for 17 or 18 years, with  a  large
wound  near  the  ancle,  and  trying   the   most   noted  surgeons
without   avail—despairing    of   relief   from   medical   aid,  until
seeing your advertisement  in the Leeds Mercury. Since the cure
she can rest at nights, and her health is now as good as  I  could
wish.  May  you  receive  the  reward   your   merit  entitles you to.
You  are at liberty  to  make  what  use  you  like  of  this  letter.   I
hope you will publish it.—I remain, Sir,
                        Yours sincerely,                        JOSEPH PARKIN.
    These, and near 100 more  that  Mr.  C.  has  cured,  have  inva-
riably   enjoyed  better  health  since  the cure than before.  Inquire.
                               All Letters must be pre-paid.
     Address—Mr.  Clarkson,  Day-house,  Darley,  Pately   Bridge.
   Mr.  C.,  being  a   duly  qualified  Practitioner, may be consulted
without  Fee  at  Mr.  Butler’s,   No.  10,   Commercial-Court,  Brig-
gate,  Leeds,  on  the  last  Tuesday  in  every Month, from  11 to  2.
   Mr. C. may also be consulted on any other Case.

Source: The Leeds Mercury, Saturday 16th March 1844

Note: The spelling ancle is used in the original.

Bateman’s Drops had been around since the 1720s and were prepared by various suppliers, hence the specification that these were Barclay’s Bateman’s Drops rather than anyone else’s.

The main ingredients were aniseed, camphor and opium, so the drops would have at least a temporary effect and could be rather dangerous if swigged indiscriminately. Different suppliers had different recipes and the amount of opium varied considerably.

 BARCLAY’S DR. BATEMAN’S PECTORAL
DROPS—This Medicine has long been held in the
highest estimation for all Rheumatic and Chronic complaints,
in pains of the limbs, bones, and joints, for influenza, and
in violent colds. The genuine Bateman’s Drops, prepared
by BARCLAY and SONs, if taken in time, are a great pre-
ventive of fever, which too often arises from neglected colds.
As a proof of the great efficacy of Barclays’ Bateman’s
Drops in Rheumatism, the following cure is submitted to
the public and every inquiry into the truth of the statement
earnestly solicited:—
     Extract from a letter addressed to Mr. Hattley, Bury.
                                        Greenhalgh Moss, near Bury.
     Sir—In the beginning of last winter, I was suffering
under a severe attack of Rheumatism, and being informed
by my neighbour, Henry Lord, of the great benefit his wife
had received from the use of Barclays’ Bateman’s Drops in
a similar complaint, I was induced to try the same, and hav-
ing purchased a bottle from your shop, I found the greatest
relief, and before I had taken the fifth bottle, I was able to
follow my employment, and continue in good health.
                       I remain your obedient servant,
                                                        ROBERT BOOTH.
***Be careful to ask for Barclays’ Bateman’s Drops,
and observe that the names of BARCLAY and SONS are en-
graved on the stamp. Price 1s. 1½d. and 2s. 3d.

Source:  The Derby Mercury, Wednesday 5th January, 1842.

Note: The inconsistency of apostrophe placement (Barclay’s/Barclays’ ) is as shown in the original.