City of Armadale - History House > Records

BOTTLE, MEDICINE - MORSES INDIAN ROOT PILLS

Overview

Brown rectangular base glass bottle. Moulded text on base, front and sides. At top has round neck with circular opening.

Base reads [A G M]. Left side reads [DOSE 1/2 TO 4]. Right side reads [W. H. COMSTOCK]. Front reads [MORSES INDIAN / ROOT PILLS].

Historical information

The bottle would have been disposed of after use into the rubbish tip. The rubbish tip would have been created to deal with waste that could not be reused or used to make new items.

Created by Andrew B Moore in Buffalo New York in 1854. They were aquired by W.H. Company Comstock Pty Ltd in the 1870s. The tablets were popular from the 1890s to the 1940s in Australia and they claimed to purify the blood, dure rheumatism, indigestion, constipation, kidney and liver disorders, headaches, pimples, boils and even "female ailments". They gained their highest popularity in Australian in 1919 during the Influenza Pandemic. The pills were made from aloe, mandrake, gamboge, japal and cayenne pepper.

Details

Details

Registration number
cwa-org-33-AK2000.142
Item type
Medicines
Material
Glass
Width
20 mm
Height or length
30 mm
Depth
65 mm
Statement of significance

An example of a popular patent medicine that claimed to be a herbal based cure all. Patent medicines common in late 1800s to early 1900s

Last modified
Friday, 2 October, 2026
Completeness
83
City of Armadale - History House

City of Armadale - History House

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