Story: Medicines and remedies

Patent medicine (3rd of 4)

Patent medicine

Hemaboloids arseniated (with strychnia) was a patent medicine used to treat people with anaemia (low red blood cell count). It contained 17% alcohol, and small amounts of arsenious acid (which contained arsenic) and strychnia (also known as strychnine), both of which were highly toxic in larger doses.

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Private collection, Rosemary Beresford

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How to cite this page:

Pauline Norris and Rosemary Beresford, 'Medicines and remedies - Plants, pills and poultices before 1900', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/28219/patent-medicine (accessed 26 April 2024)

Story by Pauline Norris and Rosemary Beresford, published 5 May 2011, reviewed & revised 23 May 2018, updated 1 Apr 2020