I have my apothecary jar collection to share with you this week. It is in my powder room along with our friend from last week, Handy Hannah. This room has no natural light, so colors may be distorted in some of these photos. 
What is Musterole one might ask. It is a precursor to good old Vicks VapoRub! This jar still has some in it! The ingredients, according to the label, are: oil, mustard, camphor, menthol and methyl salicylate. It was called a counter-irritant and was meant to be rubbed on the chest when breathing was tight. Musterole was manufacturerd in Cleveland beginning in 1905, and the company was bought in 1956 by the Plough Corporation of Tennessee.
We've all heard about the joys of Epsom Salt, which people have been using in a variety of ways for hundreds of years. I've taken baths with them, and really noticed the relaxing properties, but never really knew WHY they were so wonderful. Epsom salt is nesium sulfate, which is a sedative for the nervous system. When magnesium sulfate is absorbed through the skin, such asin a bath, it draws toxins from the body, sedates the nervous system, reduces swelling, relaxes muscles, is a natural emollient, exfoliator, and much more. To learn more about the benefits of using Epsom Salt, a natural product, in a variety of ways including gardening, health, and beauty, visit the Epsom Salt Industry Council.
Glycerin? I thought that was an oily smoothing agent used in snow globes and lipstick! I recently found out that glycerin has a variety of uses. It is in laxatives, commercially-prepared low-fat foods, cough syrup, and all sorts of other things. During the era this bottle would have been purchased, it was probably mixed with things such as dental powder or colored face powders to make things work more smoothly.
There is something that makes this one bottle my favorite! I think it's the perfect handwriting on the label. I can read everything except the date; bummer!That's it for this week folks! Be sure to go check out the other participants at Confessions of an Apron Queen!
20 comments:
Great bottles. My husband will love these. I could use some of the Musterole about now....not even joking. I love how you have them displayed. Really cute. Great post this week. enjoyed.
These are all fantastic. If you lived near me, I'd be inviting myself over just to see your collection in person. :) Did you buy these or discover them in the basement? I know my mom has an old bottle that may have held been for glycerin. I'm going to have track it down now. And, thanks for the information about the products. You may not have a classroom right now but you are always teaching. :)
E-
I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE old bottles, esp. when the labels are on them! My friend in Montana had this 'dump' area where everyone in the small town threw out their trash... and I collected a whole bunch of bottles and coffee tins from there! Gross- but Oh so cool! LOVE your collection!
Great old bottles, interesting shapes and sizes, it's true they don't make them like they used to.
Cool displays you made with them!
I absolutely love old bottles and tins. You have a wonderful collection.
I loved your antique bottles. It's fun to think about the fact that people back then actually dipped their fingers into those very bottles for the remedies within! Thank you for sharing!
The Bayer asprin is the one that caught my eye the most. My Wal-Mart generic platic asprin bottle is so plain & ugly in comparision. Don't suppose anyone will collect it in 20 or 30 years. :)
Confessions of an Apron Queen
LOVE THEM!!!
peace
#2
You did a great way to display them! Thanks for sharing.
I'm so jealous!!!! I have been trying to collect some stuff like this but never seem to find anything anywhere.
I thought it would be fun to display old apothecary items in a bathroom too.
I'll keep looking....
What a great collection you have. I love it! Thanks for sharing.
oooh I love your finds! Hard to believe that some of those products are still used today :-)
Wow! Thanks for sharing the bottles with us. I haven't seen some of this stuff in years, but I do remember seeing them in my grandparents and parents medicine cabinets. xxoo
What a great collection. The various bottles are intriguing.
I loved your bottle collection and I especially enjoyed the interesting background information on these timeless drugstore items.
Blessings to You!
Claudia O.
Great collection...I especially like the "dental powder" tin. You've done a great job putting them on display.
I'm so old that I thought we still used most of this stuff!
I remember a good bit of them.
Where'd you get all these neat old bottles? You girls astound me with your collections!
Justine :o )
Look at all the goodies you have here! Very cool stuff! Did you ever get the music thing figured out? French;)
Hey! I have the same Dental Powder from our Grandma's...only it has 39cents written on it in grease pencil...and purchsed at the Summit!- Thanks for stopping by...I read your profile and "GO GIRL!" you're a SURVIVOR! My daughter had leukemia but did not have a BMT....I am also a teacher so we have a lot in common...I will be sure to stop by again!
Hi Elizabeth,
I don't know how I missed your vintage post the other day. I love these old bottles! My husband is a pharmacist and it's fun to see vintage drug bottles, etc. We have a few ourselves. Thanks for your visit to my blog. Have a great weekend...
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