Title
Porter’s Liniment Salve
Author
Manufacturer: The Geo. H. Rundle Company, Piqua, Ohio
Image
Description
This vintage round tin once held Porter’s Liniment Salve, produced by The Geo. H. Rundle Company of Piqua, Ohio. Marketed as a multi-use topical treatment, it was priced at 35 cents or three for a dollar. The tin’s face lists a slew of once-common medicinals: cresylic acid, camphor, ammonia, oil cloves, zinc oxide, myrrh, oil sassafras, adeps lanae, oil cajuput, petrolatum, and beeswax.
It proudly touts the inclusion of “Chloroazophenol” — a derivative of chloroform — which doesn’t exactly scream “gentle skincare.”
The tin states it was for sale by weight, not volume — a holdover from the era when ingredients were measured out with druggist precision.
Condition
Fair. Tin is intact but worn. Some discoloration and staining on lid, especially over the word “Chloroazophenol.” Surface corrosion and light rust around the edges. Labeling is mostly legible and intact on both top and bottom. No product remains inside.
Gallery
Historical context
Porter’s Liniment products trace back to the 19th century, originally popularized as Porter’s Pain King by Dr. William Henry Porter. The company eventually grew into Geo. H. Rundle Company, producing various topical liniments and salves. These products existed in a time before the FDA heavily regulated over-the-counter drugs, when “medicinal” often meant “whatever might work… or burn enough to make you forget it hurt.”
Cresylic acid and camphor had disinfectant properties; zinc oxide and petrolatum formed protective barriers. Ammonia, sassafras oil, and myrrh were more questionable additions, possibly included more for tradition than efficacy.
This product reflects an era of crossover veterinary and human remedies, commonly kept in barns and homes alike.
Excerpt from Packaging
FOR LIVESTOCK: Collar and saddle galls, bruises, sore teats on cows.
DIRECTIONS: Apply salve freely after thoroughly cleansing parts with warm water.
Soothing the teats of cows and the bruised egos of farmers alike.
Curious Facts, Ephemera, and Trivia
“Liniment” refers to a liquid or semi-liquid preparation applied to the skin, typically for pain relief. The term is largely outdated.
The tin says “prepared only for the Geo. H. Rundle Company,” hinting at third-party manufacturers or formula licensing.
Sassafras oil, a common folk remedy, was later banned by the FDA for its carcinogenic compound, safrole.
Why it is in the Cabinet
This tin is a perfect example of hybrid human-animal medicine, vintage liniment chemistry, and old-school drugstore advertising — plus, it smells like the ghost of a horse barn. Its ingredients list reads like a dare and it casually name-drops chloroform. It belongs in any serious medical curiosities collection.
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