Title
Ammens Medicated Powder
Author
Grove Laboratories, St. Louis, Missouri
Division of Bristol-Myers Co.
Image
Description
This mid-20th-century tin of Ammens Medicated Powder was produced by Grove Laboratories of St. Louis, Missouri, a division of Bristol-Myers. The 2½-ounce metal container features a bright blue label with bold white and red typography and a red twist cap. Marketed for relief of heat rash, chafing, diaper rash, and foot irritations, Ammens powder promised “healing relief of minor skin irritations.” The label describes it as a “scientifically balanced formula” containing zinc oxide, boric acid, starch, talc, and aromatic oils, intended to cool, absorb moisture, and reduce friction.
Condition
Good vintage condition with minor oxidation and scattered surface rust on the side panels. The red metal cap retains its original perforated top and partial factory cellophane seal. Label graphics remain vivid, with only light staining and edge wear consistent with age.
Gallery
Historical context
Ammens was one of America’s longest-running medicated powder brands, introduced in the early 1900s and popular through the mid-century era. Produced by Grove Laboratories, the same firm known for Lysol, Bromo-Quinine, and other antiseptic household products, Ammens was advertised as both a baby and adult skin protectant. The inclusion of zinc oxide and boric acid placed it in a long line of medicated dusting powders descended from 19th-century talc and starch-based formulas.
By the 1950s and 1960s, Ammens was a household staple, promoted in women’s magazines and television ads as “safe for baby’s sensitive skin” while also preventing irritation for men and athletes. The metal tin packaging seen here predates the shift to plastic containers of the late 1970s.
Curious Facts, Ephemera, and Trivia
The Ammens brand originated with pharmacist Dr. Forest E. Ammen, whose formula was later acquired by Grove Laboratories.
Its advertising often featured nurses or infants, emphasizing purity and scientific formulation.
Zinc oxide remains a standard dermatologic protectant ingredient used in modern diaper creams and powders.
Surviving tins with intact perforated tops and cellophane seals, as seen here, are increasingly scarce.
Excerpt
“For healing relief of minor skin irritations.” — from the front label
Why it is in the Cabinet
This tin represents the evolution of early 20th-century over-the-counter dermatologic care into the mass-market products of the postwar era. It bridges the transition from apothecary formulations to branded, nationally advertised medicated powders, preserving both mid-century packaging design and pharmaceutical heritage.
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