Medical Compound (Israel D. Davis, No. 351,829)
The patent by Israel D. Davis of Stockton, California, describes a new and useful improvement in Medical Compounds as an Invigorator (Patent No. 351,829, 1886). The invention is an herbal tonic or “invigorator” composed of specific roots, leaves, and barks steeped in water, designed to treat various ailments, particularly rheumatism, and to act as a general systemic restorative.
Inventor Background: Israel D. Davis
Israel D. Davis was an African-American inventor and herbalist practicing in California during the late 19th century. His patent represents a significant documentation of traditional African-American herbal medicine (often referred to as “root work” or “botanic medicine”) being formalized through the U.S. patent system. At a time when formal medical care was often inaccessible or discriminatory toward Black Americans, inventors like Davis utilized their knowledge of indigenous plants—such as the “Wild Peach” (Eriodictyon glutinosum) mentioned in the patent—to create accessible healthcare solutions within their communities.
Composition and Preparation (Simplified)
The compound is an aqueous extraction of several potent botanical ingredients.
1. The Ingredients
The “invigorator” is composed of a complex mixture of roots, twigs, and leaves:
- Base: 20 Gallons of pure water.
- Active Botanicals:
- Mandrake Root: Known historically as a potent purgative.
- Spruce Pine (Twigs, Leaves, and Gum): Used for its resinous and stimulating properties.
- Wormwood: A bitter herb traditionally used for digestive health.
- Dewberry Root: Often used as an astringent.
- Wild Peach (Eriodictyon): Explicitly noted by Davis as “indigenous to California” and “very efficacious in cases of rheumatism.” (Commonly known today as Yerba Santa).
- Poke-Root and Prickly-Ash Bark: Traditionally used to stimulate the lymphatic system and circulation.
2. Process of Manufacture
- Extraction: The solid ingredients are steeped and boiled in the water to extract their medicinal strength.
- Refining: The resulting liquid is filtered and clarified.
- Preservation: The solution is bottled and the corks are hermetically sealed to prevent spoilage and maintain the compound’s “invigorating” properties.
Usage and Dosage
The patent provides specific instructions for use based on age:
- Adults: One wine-glassful three times a day, taken one hour before meals.
- Children: One-half of the adult dose.
- Regulation: Davis notes that if the effect is too severe on the bowels, the dose should be reduced, indicating the compound has strong laxative or detoxifying properties.
Concepts Influenced by This Invention
Davis’s medical compound reflects the intersection of ethnobotany and the 19th-century Patent Medicine movement.
- Standardization of Herbal Remedies: By providing exact proportions (e.g., five pounds of spruce pine to twenty gallons of water), Davis moved traditional “folk” remedies toward a standardized pharmaceutical model that could be consistently manufactured and sold.
- Utilization of Indigenous Flora: Davis’s specific mention of the California “Wild Peach” highlights the early scientific interest in Regional American Botany. His observation of its efficacy for rheumatism aligns with later pharmacological studies on Eriodictyon (Yerba Santa) as an anti-inflammatory and expectorant.
- Holistic Invigoration: The concept of an “invigorator”—a single compound designed to treat multiple systemic issues like rheumatism and digestive sluggishness—is a precursor to the modern wellness and supplement industry.
- Self-Regulation of Health: The inclusion of dosage adjustments based on the “evacuation of the bowels” shows an early emphasis on patient-centered care and the importance of monitoring physiological responses to botanical drugs.
