Peter Fahrney's Teething Syrup

An advertisement for Dr Fahrney's Teething Syrup

 Quack medicine or Quackery is a term used to describe 'the promotion of fraudulent or ignorant medical practices. A quack is a "fraudulent or ignorant pretender to medical skill" or "a person who pretends, professionally or publicly, to have skill, knowledge, qualification or credentials he or she does not possess; a charlatan or snake oil salesman".'

Dr Peter Fahrney's concoction of "teething syrup" was listed as a medication that was heavily sought by addicts because of it's habit-forming ingredients. Many children died using medication like this by well meaning mothers who were looking to soothe their babies. It's the lack of dosing and improper labeling, children were being overdosed. It wasn't until the 1900's that the Food and Drug act was passed. This created laws requiring proper labeling and other regulations concerning ingredients and dosing.


Peter Fahrney

According to Bottlebooks.com ,"In 1869 Dr. P. Fahrney opened a laboratory in Chicago, a centrally located city in the United States of North America, and continued to do business uninterruptedly until the 8th of Oct., 1871, when his laboratory, together with seventeen thousand five hundred business houses and dwellings was burned to the ground, destroying nearly two hundred million dollars' worth of property, and making over one hundred thousand persons homeless. In less than three days after the fire, Dr. Fahrney had made arrangements to make a new beginning, and in a few weeks was shipping to all parts of the country. It will be seen that the proprietor had not a few reverses, to say nothing of the prolonged stagnation of business following the panic of 1873."

The business was sold to the Purdue Frederick Company in 1966, who later sold it to and investor in New York in 1977.

Teething medicine was not the only thing Dr. Fahrney was known for. He also sold other concoctions such as "Dr. Peter's Blood Cleanser or Panacea"

From the blog Yellow Brick Journey, - He died in 1905 a multi-millionaire, reputedly the wealthiest member of the Brethren. Soon after arriving in Illinois, he had written an article for the Christian Family Companion entitled "Dying Rich"; it begins, "Of all the cases of human folly which men are addicted to, few are more common that the desire to hoard up wealth, that they may die rich." It continues, "Think of these selfish, narrow-minded, close-fisted souls at the bar of God, giving an account of their stewardship. They spent their life in hoarding up wealth, and had the honor of dying rich, and now the Master is auditing their accounts!"

From my own collection. 2 Sizes

From Road Dog on antique-bottles.net- "Dr. Fahrney's Teething Syrup.Is the best remedy for teething.No bad results from the continued use of it. Contains nothing injurious to the youngest babe. A sure remedy for all ailments incident to babes from one day old to two or three years.

This was analyzed by the Bureau of Chemistry and was found to contain:

Alcohol by volume...........8.84 percent

Chloroform to the fluid ounce........0.408 minims

Morphine to the fluid ounce..........0.126 grain

This concoction was disbranded by the U.S. District Court. The defendant pleaded guilty and a 100 dollar fine was imposed. This because it was found not to be a sure remedy and could be injurious to infants."

Shop window display for Dr Fahrney's Teething Syrup, in Hagerstown, Maryland, 1937

A ghost sign advertising Dr Fahrney's

From Notices of Judgment Under the Food and Drugs Act, Issues 1-250

Resources-


https://www.antique-bottles.net/showthread.php?36883-Dr-Fahrney-s!!!-Anyone

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/563653709586601618/?autologin=true

https://disappearingamerica.weebly.com/dr-fahrney-teething-syrup.html

https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/147422587782366371/?autologin=true

http://yellowbrickjourney.blogspot.com/2008/03/dr-peter-fahrney.html