Dorchester Illustration no. 2248 Patent Medicine Bottle from Blake House Site
The bottle shown as today’s illustration was found in the archaeological dig at the Blake House site on Columbia Road. When the house was moved to its current site in 1895, surrounding homeowners were encouraged to contribute solid fill to the fill the area that had been excavated for the construction of the new cellar for the support of the house. The bottle is an example of patent medicine sold over the counter to cure a variety of ills. I am guessing rock and tar was derived from petroleum.
Hear more about the archaeology of Boston, and how Boston’s history can be told through artifacts on Sunday, May 15th at 2 pm at the Dorchester Historical Society, 195 Boston Street. Joseph Bagley, the city archaeologist, will talk about his new book The History of Boston in 50 Artifacts.
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