MUSEUM BLOG
Dr. Hercules Sanche and the Gas-Pipe Fraud
One of America's most notorious quacks, Dr. Sanche apparently moved around a lot, keeping one step ahead of the authorities. Dr. Hercules Sanche was an itinerant businessman who pretended to be a doctor. He used this scheme to sell to people a type of product known as the Oxydonor Victor
The Story of Perry Davis and His Painkiller
Perry Davis (1791–1862) was born in Dartmouth, Massachusetts, on July 7, 1791. His parents owned no property and thus did not even show up on tax records at the time of Davis’ birth. By 1837, he had tried, unsuccessfully, to start multiple businesses, leaving him $4500 in debt. In 1840, Davis became so sick that his pain was debilitating. His solution? A mix of alcohol, opiates, and herbs, which would later be dubbed “Perry Davis’ Painkiller.”
The Story of John Williams the Oculist and his career in quackery
This was the advertisement in Kingston’s Chronicle and Gazette, which ran on October 20th, 1841, heralding the arrival of Mr. Williams. His visit to Kingston came near the end of his illustrious career in quackery, preceded by nearly forty years of travelling in Europe and the United States, treating patients and selling his so-called miracle cure for blindness.
Spotlight on Patent Medicines - Dr. William Hall's Balsam for the Lungs
In the mid-to-late twentieth century, advertising trade cards were important for circulating information about patent medicines, or “over-the-counter” drugs. Dr. William Hall’s Balsam was printed by the Donaldson Brothers of Five Points, New York, a popular advertiser from 1872 to 1891.