The History and Archaeology of Quack Medicine in Texas

Summary

This is an abstract from the session entitled "Current Research at Texas A&M University's Conservation Research Laboratory" , at the 2022 annual meeting of the Society for Historical Archaeology.

Fraudulent medical devices or treatments, or quackeries, were initially brought to the United States by British salesmen. After the War of 1812, American quack treatments, commonly called snake oil, were concocted and reached their peak during the Civil War. Texas, which joined the United States in 1845, thus developed during the height of American quackery. Texas’ vast expanse was impenetrable by trained doctors and became the stage for quack salesmen’s fiery sales pitches. Medical quackery was often far from disorganized; wares could be patented and marketed with distinct bottles and professional marketing. Today these bottles provide evidence of the popularity of various treatments and demonstrate the effect of quackery on the state’s development. Medical treatments, even fake, provide insight into the culture, choices, and lifestyles of early Texans. This presentation outlines the archaeology of Texan quack medicine, methods of conservation for the artifacts, and deduced evidence of early Texan culture.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Current Research at Texas A&M University's Conservation Research Laboratory   •
• Society for Historical Archaeology 2022

Keywords

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology