Pharmacy Fun Fact: August 28

Question: What was the secret ingredient in a cure-all eye wonder drug in 1795?

Answer: Opium!

In 1795, a general cure-all for eye complaints was patented by Isaac Thompson in Connecticut. Due to its extreme popularity, it remained available for consumers for almost 200 years. However, no one knew what was contained in this wonder drug.

After the passage of the Pure Food and Drug Act in 1906, the actual ingredients were released, and that magical cure-all loved by so many was understood to actually just be opium.

REFERENCE

Kang L, Pedersen N. Quackery: A Brief History of the Worst Ways to Cure Everything. New York, NY: Workman Publishing; 2017.

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