Antique Medicine Bottle A.D. ASHLEY'S RED SEA BALSAM NEW BEDFORD, MASS 12 Sides

This cylindrical twelve-sided medicine bottle measures about 4 1/2 inches tall and about 1 1/4 in diameter. The embossing, spanning 3 panels, reads A.D. ASHLEY'S / RED SEA BALSAM/ NEW BEDFORD, MASS. The bottle is clear with a faint blue-green tint. It was hand blown in a mold with a seam going to the top of the shoulder on one side and partly up the neck on the other. The glass contains a few air bubbles, and the glass is a little thinner on one side than the other. It probably dates to about 1890 to 1900. It is in fine condition with no cracks, chips, or scuffs. There are a few small faint stains inside.
Red Sea Balsam was a popular cure-all of the era for both external and internal use. A balsam is an aromatic resinous substance exuded by various trees and shrubs and used as a base for certain fragrances and medical and cosmetic preparations. According to later product labels, Red Sea Balsam, if used externally, could "sooth sprains, bruises, minor burns, chapped hands, insect bites, [and] sunburn". When taken internally it would ease coughs and hoarseness from colds. Red Sea Balsam contained "eucalyptus oil, oil of turpentine, paracymene, camphor oil, and terpines in a bland vegetable oil base." While some of these compounds are not considered safe to ingest today, the primary ingredient was not even listed. As confirmed in the Ashley family history, the primary ingredient of these cure-alls was pure ethanol, and these 1.7-ounce bottles were essentially medicinal nips.
The Red Sea Balsam Company was located at 1089 Acushnet Avenue in New Bedford and operated by Max and Carlton Dubitsky, originally from Tiverton, RI. The formulation was patented a category that included pharmaceuticals and related products, and the name Red Sea Balsam was trademarked on November 30, 1886.