"Most Valuable Remedy Ever Discovered"

Who needs antibiotics?

They didn't exist, of course, when this advertisement appeared in a Bacon's Cycling and Motoring Map (of Liverpool to North Wales).

This amazing product, Dr J Collis Browne's Chlorodyne - THE ORIGINAL AND ONLY GENUINE, was clearly the cure-all of its age:

"The Best Remedy known for COUGHS, COLDS, ASTHMA, BRONCHITIS. Acts like a Charm in DIARRHOEA, CHOLERA & DYSENTRY. The only palliative in Neuralgia, Toothache, Gout, Rheumatism."

The advert goes on to say:

"None genuine without the words Convincing Medical Testimony with each bottle."

You have been warned!

And it comes in three sizes of bottle priced at one-and-threehalfpence, two shillings and ninepence and 4/6. A bargain, I'd say!

I wonder what pharmacists would offer in its place if you walked up to the counter and asked for it, by name, today? (It doesn't mention its active ingredient.)

I've no idea just how old it is, but the map is priced at 6d (sixpence in old money). My guess would be early twentieth century. I think it probably belonged to my grandfather, who was born in 1888. It was buried deep in a shelf of books.

Oh, the Devon fog's cleared, by the way; now we have grey cloud and a cool wind, though we did enjoy a few sunny intervals today, too.