Salves, Ointments, Liniments, and Balms - Cure-alls in the 18th & 19 Centuries

Research for a writer is a never-ending process--which admittedly--I can, and usually do, get lost in for hours. Such is the case for a new book I'm writing about a Confederate nurse during the Civil War.

It's widely recognized that the rural South suffered some of the most horrendous battles and loss of life, both in the ranks and in innocent lives. The Union Blockade prevented the Confederacy from trading, significantly impacting the Southern economy and the war's outcome. This led to food shortages and supplies, particularly life-saving medicines, prompting civilian doctors and medical corps to improvise with natural remedies they prepared from herbs.

Cure-alls

Patent medicines--a common name for proprietary "over-the-counter" products--were hugely popular in the United States from the mid19th century until the early twentieth century. During this time, drugs and remedies were largely unregulated, and manufacturers were free to make any health claims they wished about their products. Many patent medicines were "cure-alls." Thus, manufacturers could claim they cured an enormous number of disparate diseases.

Frequently, these cure-alls also promised to remedy problems with the skin, complexion, hair, eyes, or even the shapeliness of the figure...anything that affected one's physical beauty or health. Cure-alls began to disappear from the market after legislation was enacted in 1912 that prohibited manufacturers from making false and fraudulent therapeutic claims.

Cure-alls were manufactured both as liquid tonics, which were taken internally, and as salves, balms or liniments, which were applied to the skin. Some products were labelled with directions for both internal and external use.

Salves, Ointments, Liniments and Balms

Other salves, liniments and ointments produced during the same period stopped short of making cure-all claims. These preparations were generally used to treat common skin, scalp, and hair problems and can be seen as precursors to the over-the-counter skin care and first-aid ointments in use today. Some brands, Mentholatum, Bag Balm, and White Cloverine, remain in use today.

Robert Chesebrough patented petroleum jelly under the name Vaseline in 1872, and

many of these salves have a base of petrolatum, or petroleum jelly. Salves were packaged in tins, while liniments were generally bottled. Liniments were liquids that often had a high alcohol content, which suspended oils of min or pepper. The oils' aimed to lessen pain or inflammation in other areas of the body.

Salves and liniments addressed ailments that often brought with them concerns. Beauty standards of 19 and early 20th century America placed a high priority on clear skin and full, thick hair. People used these salves to remedy complexion issues such as pimples, as well as scalp conditions, such as ringworm and mange, that cause patchy hair loss.  These products served the whole family and provided both health and beauty help for one price. But they were specifically cosmetic preparations. 

For Man or Beast 

Older salves, ointments, and liniments were sometimes marketed as for "man or beast." This tactic was especially applicable for products that claimed to cure or soothe minor skin irritations such as cuts, scrapes, burns, insect bites, bruises, and chafing that are common to humans and their pets and livestock. Humans and their animals shared some skin ailments because they shared a common environment and were often in physical contact with one another. For example, fungal infections such as ringworm and parasitic infections such as mange could be easily passed between the family dog and children. Though the directions for administering the products to domestic animals versus were different, the healing action described is basically the same.

Common Herbs for Salve-Making

Arnica is used to treat wounds, bruises and blunt injuries. It is rarely taken orally as it may cause dizziness and heart irregularities. It should be taken as an infusion to relieve muscle strain and internal inflammation in small amounts.

Applied to soothe and reduce itching in chicken pox, fresh Marigold flowers are also good for treating eczema, and skin allergies. 

Lavender is used for calming the senses and inducing a sound sleep, neurological problems, and dermatological conditions. Usually as a massage oil or balm to promote relaxation.

Aloe Vera is a proven plant that brings therapeutic benefits to all sorts of skin problems. It is a popular ingredient in many cosmetic creams and salves.

Witch Hazel has a high concentration of tannins, which help remove oils and clear skin blemishes. In the past, people used witch hazel as a poultice to reduce fever and inflammation. Currently, it is an ingredient in cosmetic products for treating bruises and sunburns.

A salve of Rosemary may help stimulate hair growth. It is applied directly on the scalp to increase the hair count in both genders.

Peppermint salve contains an analgesic that helps with sore muscles and body pains. It also is used for alleviating respiratory problems and digestive distress.

Cayenne Pepper powder can be infused in an oil and mixed with beeswax to treat pregnancy-related joint and body pains.

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Coming March 6th...

“Your journey doesn’t have to end in disappointment.”

Lila Hartley had waited for hours on the frozen train platform, a mail-order bride no one came to claim, her trunk beside her like a tombstone. The man who'd promised her marriage, a home, and a future, left her stranded two thousand miles from Boston with nothing but the clothes on her back and a heart full of shattered dreams.

Just when hope was fading, a man emerged from the white curtain of snow like an apparition, took off his coat, and changed her life.

Clay McCallister viewed every woman who had taken a chance on the frontier as the sister he’d failed…a woman who’d risked everything for the possibility of something better, much like the woman standing on the platform in the bitter cold.

Sometimes warmth doesn’t always come from fire — sometimes it comes from the heart.

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