Historical information
August Vogeler was born in Minden, Germany in 1819, and emigrated to the United States to Baltimore when 20 years old and entered the employ of the wholesale drug firm Smith & Atkinson. Five years later he established the firm of A. Vogeler & Company manufacturing drugs and chemicals and eventually built up a drug business and manufactured products such as St. Jacob’s Oil, Dr. August Koenig’s Hamburg Drops, Koenig’s Hamburg Breast Tea, Diamond Vera-Cura and Dr. Bull’s Family Medicines.
Vogeler & Company was located for a long period of time at Liberty and German Streets in Baltimore City and had an impressive multi-block operation. Charles A. Vogeler, August’s son, grew the business and was one of the pioneers of progressive patent medicine advertising and employed many novel schemes. Another son, Jerome Vogeler was also engaged in the drug business. Previously, in 1873, August Vogeler acquired the medicinal compounds of Reverend Dr. Bull (not the Dr. Bull in Louisville). Eventually in 1877, with the help of his partner, Adolph Meyer, the company promoted and sold Dr. Bull’s Family Medicines until shortly after the death of Charles Vogeler in 1882. In 1883, A. C. Meyer purchased all interests of his Vogeler partners and remained in business until his death 0n 4 February 1914.
Physical description
Slender aqua tinted clear glass with three lines of text embossed on half side of bottle, initial on base.
Inscriptions & markings
On side 'ST JAKOBS OEL', A VOGELER & CO', BALTIMORE MD'. On base 'C'.
Subjects
References
- Peachridge Glass Article A Vogeler & Company Baltimore MD Scientific American, New York, 26 March, 1881, Article page 194.
- Peachridge Glass Article A Vogeler & Co. Baltimore MD Scientific American, New York, March 26, 1881, Article pages 194-195.
- Peachridge Glass Article A Vogeler & Co. Baltimore MD Scientific American, New York, 26 March, 1881, page 195.
- cfi Centre for Inquiry - St. Jacob’s Oil History of A. Vogeler & Company, Baltimore , St Jakob's Oil. .................According to a correspondent for the British Medical Journal (“St. Jacob’s Oil” 1894), the liniment had been analyzed and consisted of the following ingredients (with percentages): turpentine with traces of camphor (82.407), ether (10.000), alcohol (5.000) Carbolic acid (2.018), capsicum (0.400), and aconite (0.0132), plus a small amount (unmeasured) of origanum, “probably employed for scenting purposes.” The capsicum (from cayenne pepper) was common to liniments and intended to impart warmth to the skin. In combination with the fast-evaporating ether and alcohol, the liniment probably acted much like today’s icy-hot rubs................'.
- St. Jacobs Oil: New Acquisition Bottle Descriptions
