"American Medicinal Oil, Burkesville Kentucky" Bottle, 1830-1860
Add to SetSummary
Raw petroleum oozes out of the ground in swampy locations. In the early 1800s it had few industrial uses, but was widely thought to have medicinal properties. Some antebellum entrepreneurs bottled and sold it as "rock oil" or "seneca oil," both as a liniment and as a tonic for consumption and other ailments. "American Medicinal Oil" contained petroleum found around Burkesville, Kentucky.
Raw petroleum oozes out of the ground in swampy locations. In the early 1800s it had few industrial uses, but was widely thought to have medicinal properties. Some antebellum entrepreneurs bottled and sold it as "rock oil" or "seneca oil," both as a liniment and as a tonic for consumption and other ailments. "American Medicinal Oil" contained petroleum found around Burkesville, Kentucky.
Artifact
Medicine bottle
Date Made
1830-1860
Keywords
On Exhibit
at Henry Ford Museum in Driving America
Object ID
29.760.1
Credit
From the Collections of The Henry Ford. Gift of Georgia McMillan Guy.
Material
Glass (Material)
Dimensions
Height: 6.5 in
Width: 2 in
Length: 1.25 in
Inscriptions
Impressed into sides of bottle: AMERICAN / MEDICINAL / OIL / BURKESVILLE KY
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