Title
Anusol Hemorrhoidal Suppositories – Physician’s Trial Package (1933)
Author
N/A
Image
Description
This small box contains a Physician’s Trial Package of Anusol Hemorrhoidal Suppositories, produced by Schering & Glatz, Inc. in 1933. Inside are three tinfoil-wrapped suppositories with an original printed insert, offering physicians a free sample to dispense to patients.
Anusol was promoted as a non-narcotic, non-anesthetic, and non-habit-forming treatment for hemorrhoids and related rectal conditions. Each suppository was intended to reduce pain, congestion, and inflammation while facilitating easier bowel movements. The packaging emphasized safety and purity, distinguishing it from earlier patent medicines that often contained narcotics.
Condition
Box intact with visible age toning and minor wear.
Instruction insert present and legible.
Suppositories remain, though foil wrappers have flaked and deteriorated with age.
Overall preservation: excellent for a 1933 pharmaceutical sample.
Gallery
Historical context
Physician’s trial packs like this were a key marketing tool in early 20th-century medicine. By sending free samples to doctors, pharmaceutical companies ensured both physician endorsement and direct patient exposure.
The emphasis on non-narcotic and non-habit-forming reflected growing awareness after the 1906 Pure Food and Drug Act, as consumers and regulators became wary of hidden opiates, cocaine, and other powerful drugs in remedies.
Remarkably, Anusol is still marketed today, typically in hydrocortisone-based formulations, showing the persistence of hemorrhoid remedies across nearly a century.
Curious Facts, Ephemera, and Trivia
The insert recommended avoiding spicy foods, alcohol, and coffee to prevent flare-ups.
Foil wrapping was described as a “recent improvement” to prevent tearing and allow easier unwrapping.
Instructions reminded patients to continue treatment until inflammation subsided — a common sales tactic to encourage prolonged use.
Excerpt
“Anusol Suppositories are free from narcotic, anesthetic and habit-forming drugs. They exert a soothing, protective and anti-congestive action upon the mucous membrane, and by virtue of their mild laxative properties, facilitate evacuation of the bowels.”
Why it is in the Cabinet
This little trial pack captures the intersection of marketing, medicine, and public trust during the interwar years. It shows how pharmaceutical companies navigated new regulations while promoting remedies for one of humanity’s oldest complaints. Complete with packaging, insert, and original suppositories, it represents a nearly untouched snapshot of 1930s pharmaceutical practice.
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