Robert Walker obtained the King’s Royal Letters Patent for his remedy in 1755, and on his death, surgeon Joseph Wessels took it over. The drops were still around, under the name Wessel’s Jesuit Drops as late as the 1870s. In 1843, the Medical Times published a note stating that the Drops were “a spirituous tincture of balsam of copaiba, guiacum, and oil of sassafras. They are the same as the elixir anti-venereum of Quincey.”
CAUTION to the PUBLIC.
By the King’s Patent.
DR. WALKER’S PATENT GENUINE
JESUITS DROPS, for which his Ma-
jesty was pleased to honour him with his roy-
al letters patents for England, Scotland, and
Ireland, and the plantations in America.—
The great success and demand that is daily
made for these never failing, genuine JESU-
ITS DROPS at 2s. 6d. each bottle; and
SPECIFIC PURGING REMEDY, at 2s.
6d. per pot, which are the most certain, cheap,
pleasant, safe, effectual, and immediate cure
ever discovered for gleets and seminal weak-
nesses both sexes are subject to, though ever so
obstinate, of ever so long continuance, and by
whatever means occasioned, and also for the
venereal disease, from its slightest to its most
malignant symptoms. Likewise, for the gra-
vel, stone in the bladder, and all scorbutic ca-
ses of ever so long a standing; several patients
being deemed incurable, have found relief, af-
ter trying all other medicines; likewise, all
nervous disorders, the gout, rheumatism, and
all disorders in the stomach.
The public may be assured that when the
surprizing and quick efficacy of these medicines
is considered, they are the cheapest remedy e-
ver yet offered to sale.— To prevent counter-
feits, each bottle and pot have J. Wessels and
Co. marked on them, in their own handwrit-
ing, and without which they are not genuine.
To be had at FRANCIS MARSHALL’s
hard-ware shop, being the third shop above
Don’s close, opposite to the Luckenbooths;
Source: The Edinburgh Advertiser, Tuesday 11th February 1772.
Notes: “surprizing” is as in original. The advert continues at great length about the other products available from Francis Marshall’s shop, including coffee mills, best hair powder, mathematical instruments and backgammon tables.
Why Jesuit Drops?
Were they made out of Jesuits?
Made by Jesuits?
Like “Carmel Water”, still available in Spain, the name Jesuit Drops wishes to convey the idea that the drops were invented by the Jesuits many centuries ago. They weren’t, but the inventor probably thought that it would give his product historical nous.
Carmel Water was indeed first distilled by the Carmelite monks but has long since been sold out to a pharmaceutical company.