What do you think this means?

[Roger]

A bottle I have in my collection (image below) is embossed:

HEALTH STRENGTH & ENERGY
BALDWIN'S
QUININE & STEEL ELIXIR
WALWORTH LONDON

What do you thing "STEEL" actually was? Can it really have been bits of steel....

 

[Harry Pristis]

It seems likely, Roger, that "steel" in this case is marketing exaggeration. Iron, maybe (ferrous sulfate, for example), but not steel. Someone in charge of marketing must have decided that "steel" would sound stronger, thus more effective, than "iron."

 

[andy volkerts]

Actually I think maybe it is the British meaning of our Iron, as in wine of Iron and tar or Iron and something other. By the way did you get that Eaisly cobalt bottle you said is missing from your collection??? And who do you think got all those Handysides or was it a scam??.......Andy

 

[Roger]

Thank you, I think you are both correct.


I found some references to a Towle's Pennyroyal and Steel and a Blanchard'e Apiol and Steel in More Secret Remedies by the British Medical Association 1912. In both cases they contained Iron Sulphate so I guess that's it.


I should have known that as I have a copy of the book sitting on my bookshelf (in fact I have two!).


Andy - I never even got a sniff of the Eaisly Handysides, it just vanished. I am sure it was genuine but my contacts are as mystified as I am.

 

[cowseatmaize]

Here's some recipes to make your own steel preparations. It's kinda old but if they could do it in 1753 I should be easy enough.