Grease Bastard Maximum:

Dr. King’s New Discovery, 1904

Cubeb (Piper cubeba), also called Java pepper, is a plant found in Java and Sumatra. The cubeb fruits look like little black peppercorns and were used for aphrodisiacs, to ward off demons, and even to treat infertility. These “medicated” cigarettes were supposed to alleviate throat ailments, bronchial problems and were “a specific against fogs,” too (a consideration in all those London particulars). Savar’s Cubebs (ad from 1884) also contained “soothing” cannabis and stramonium (Datura stramonium) - that is, jimson weed. Jimson weed, according to Wikipedia, is a “powerful hallucinogen” (it is also called “loco weed”).

All kinds of vintage ad wrong here: the manic-eyed glee, the push to get kids to take laxative pills, and the supposition that a girl would be really happy to tell everyone that she has a dandy laxative tablet in her mouth.

Recommended by elephants.

1889 promotional songbook from the manufacturers of Merchant’s Gargling Oil—“Yellow Wrapper for Animal and White for Human Flesh”—a patent remedy equally effective for beast or man.

From the makers of Merchant’s Vegetable Worm Tablets.