A History of Medical Quackery: From Arsenic Soaps to Asthma Cigarettes and Much More

In the 19th century, access to medicine was like opening Pandora's Box – it brought both blessings and strange, sometimes dangerous, tricks.

Some "cures" were harmless frauds, but many others were downright dangerous, often containing addictive and life-threatening ingredients.

The most notorious example of this era was the promotion of arsenic-containing soaps and cosmetics. Arsenic was believed to improve the complexion and give a pale, fashionable look.

With its enchanting glow, radium has made its way into toothpastes and cosmetics, promising a dazzling smile and a flawless complexion.

Meanwhile, "asthma cigarettes" were marketed as a cure for respiratory diseases, containing a mixture of herbs and narcotics, including the highly addictive substance stramonium.

As we look at these strange and dangerous treatments, we can't help but feel grateful for modern regulations and scientific advances.

We may laugh at the absurdity of these products, but it's a reminder of how easily we can be swayed by health and beauty promises.

Asthma cigarettes were an interesting but questionable remedy for respiratory problems in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. These cigarettes contained a mixture of herbs and narcotics, which usually included atropine.

Atropine opened the airways of the lungs, providing temporary relief from asthma symptoms.

However, it also causes dizziness, nausea, hallucinations and rapid heart rate in smokers.

Nevertheless, products such as Potter's Asthma Cigarettes, Himrod's Cure for Asthma, and Dr. Kellogg's Asthma Remedy became extremely popular.

The famous French writer Marcel Proust, who suffered from asthma, has clearly described the effects of smoking these cigarettes.

He wrote to his mother about the discomfort of smoking during asthma attacks, noting that it caused him to walk twice as far and stop at every tobacconist for anti-asthma cigarettes.

“The sorrow of sorrows or the mystery of mysteries...” he wrote to his mother about smoking during an attack, “applies very well to me at this moment.

[My asthma] forced me to double up and light an anti-asthma cigarette at every tobacconist I passed. And what's worse is that even after smoking endlessly, I couldn't go to bed until midnight...”

During this era, smoking was often seen as having medicinal benefits, and asthma cigarettes were a part of that trend.

However, the actual effectiveness of these cigarettes was questionable, and they could even be harmful due to the toxic nature of stramonium.

Stramonium, also known as jimsonweed or thornapple, is a plant species belonging to the nightshade family (Solanaceae). It is native to the Americas but has spread to other parts of the world.

In medicine, Stramonium has been used historically for its antispasmodic and bronchodilator properties. It has been used in the treatment of asthma and other respiratory conditions.

Unfortunately, Stramonium is also highly toxic and in high doses can cause serious side effects including hallucinations, delirium, tachycardia, and even death.

Due to these risks, its medicinal use has declined significantly, and it is now considered primarily a poisonous plant.

Radioactive toothpaste made a surprise entry into the consumer landscape in the early 20th century, a time when the properties of radiation were not fully understood.

Advocates believed that radiation could effectively kill bacteria and promote better oral hygiene.

One of the most famous examples was "thorium toothpaste", which contained thorium chloride.