EVOLUTION OF PATENT MEDICINE. 77 



all other medical compounds. In one sense, the word " patent " 

 means plain or unconcealed, but that is the reverse of the mean- 

 ing of the medicine in question. Time was when the state, for 

 purpose of revenue, allowed the venders of medical mixtures to 

 take advantage of the patent law. By an act of Parliament 

 a duty was levied on bottles or packages containing prepared 

 drugs, and a stamp showed that the tax had been paid. This regu- 

 lation was early adopted by the United States, but a few years 

 ago the law was wiped off our statute-books, and, to-day, no tax 

 or license is necessary. 



Now, in all patent medicines, whether ancient or modern, there 

 are two elements the element which we now regard as magical 

 and that which we regard as mysterious. 



The notions entertained of medicines and medicine-men by peo- 

 ple in a low stage of culture are pretty much alike in different 

 parts of the world. Everywhere savages attribute disease to evil 

 spirits, revengeful enemies, and to various occult influences. Nat- 

 urally enough, priests among rude people are doctors, and doctors 

 are priests. The medicine-man is priest-doctor. Mr. Mooney, 

 who has made a thorough study of the theory and practice of 

 Cherokee medicine, observes that " every doctor is a priest, every 

 application is accompanied by a prayer and a sacred song." He 

 found that plants were selected on account of " some connection 

 between their appearance and the symptoms of the disease." * 



Here we meet with the magical element in medicine ; for it is one 

 of the recognized principles of magic that things like each other, 

 in color or form, influence each other in a mystic way. On this 

 belief in a real and material connection between an object and its 

 image, or between things like each other, is based one half of the 

 magic of ancient and mediaeval times. Thus, the Cherokee doc- 

 tor invariably prescribes a yellowish decoction for biliousness. 

 Believing that heart troubles are caused by the lungs becom- 

 ing wrapped up about the heart and impeding its action, the 

 patient is treated with a preparation of fern leaves, because these 

 leaves when young are coiled up, but unwrap as they grow older. 

 Again, the medicine-man not only works on analogy or resem- 

 blance, but his remedies are put up in a mysterious way. The 

 patient must not know the kind of stuff he is swallowing. Ac- 

 cording to Dr. Archie Stockwell,t the Indian doctor thinks that 

 " a remedy to be of any value should be secret." To the same 

 effect is the testimony of another expert. J " To keep their medi- 

 ' cine from the gaze of the profane, a medicine-bag is prepared 



* Journal of American Folk Lore, vol. iii, p. 42. 

 f Popular Science Monthly, September, 1886. 

 % Smithsonian Reports, 1886, Part I, p. 246. 



