SOOTHING, INDEED!
Mrs. Winslow's soothing syrup was marketed as a medicine for infants who were restless and in pain from teething. It was introduced in the mid 1800s and became quite popular. It had a reputation for being very effective, and remained a big seller until the end of the century.
What do you think was in it?
This soothing syrup contained morphine, a drug derived from opium. It was no doubt very effective indeed at quieting children! However, not only could it cause addiction, but an overdose could be fatal.
In most countries, it did not become illegal to produce and sell products containing drugs such as morphine until the early 1900s. Many patent medicines from the 1800s contained morphine, codeine, or cocaine. Others contained a high percentage of alcohol.
The idea of giving morphine to teething children causes a reaction of horror today. But in an era when there was no effective treatment for many painful and often fatal diseases, the relief offered by drug-and-alcohol-laced patent medicines could be a blessing. Drugs such as morphine are still used for pain relief in today's hospitals.
