Saturday, December 6, 2008

Goff's Magic Oil Liniment

Camden, New Jersey is a town that is famous for being very near Philadelphia, for being RCA Victor's headquarters from 1901 to 1969, and for being a center for shipbuilding. Camden was also the home of the first drive in movie in 1933.

And several ancestors of mine stopped off for awhile in Camden on their northward trek towards Brooklyn, New York.

Perhaps one of them was lucky enough to try this supernaturally excellent cure-all which was manufactured in Camden around 1900.

This bottle of S.B. Goff's Magic Oil Liniment could cure just about anything that was the matter with you. That included rheumatism, neuralgia, toothache and earache, Gravel and Kidney Affection, Frosted Feet, chapped hands, and cuts.

When you were feeling better you could go out to the stable and use it on the horses for their sprains, stiff limbs, Frosted Feet and other ailments.

It is also "free from the fiery qualities," which is surprising since it is so good at assuaging the frosted qualities of feet both human and equine.

Image from the National Museum of American History's wonderful Balm of America collection.

7 comments:

Chris Bowers said...

Ahh! Whiskey

Lidian said...

Chris - Yeah, probably!

Da Old Man said...

It sure did a lot for 25 cents.

Lidian said...

Da Old Man - It was quite a bargain even for 1900 - if it worked!

Pam Walter said...

Sounds like the same claims Congress is making for the bailouts! Snake oil. www.satisfiedsole.com

Bill said...

I hate to be vulgar, but to quote a redneck friend from Alabama, it sounds like it cures everything from "colds, moles, to sore @ssholes,"

Lidian said...

Pam - Maybe they studied the old ads...

Bill - That may have been some of the copy that they had to rewrite...