National Museum of American History
TINCT MELAMPOD
18th century
This square–shaped blown and molded glass bottle has a narrow neck and rounded shoulders. The white oval baked enamel label is marked, <i>TINCT MELAMPOD</i>". The jar would have contained a Tincture of Melampodium. Tinctures were steeped for weeks with a mixture of herbs and alcohol. Melampodium was a flowering plant that was used as a cathartic to aid digestion and as an emmenagogue to encourage menstrual flow. This bottle is illustrated on page 30 of the <i>Squibb Ancient Pharmacy Catalogue</i>.
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