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3/4ths. It is not clear why Moore was not included in the partnership. The
Comstocks retained control of the firm bearing White's name. White claimed absolute ownership of the pills. Moore, who strongly disagreed, continued to produce the pills and published literature denouncing production by A.J. White & Co. as forgeries. Moore, however, accepted employment (not partnership) by A.J. White & Co. June 21, 1858, and agreed to cease producing the pills. But on January 1, 1859, White and Moore took books, account records and various assets from the firm's office and formed a business under the same name, A.J. White & Co., at 10 Courtlandt Street.
25:
128:, Edwin Perkins Comstock (1799–1837) who founded a drug company in New York City sometime before 1833. The Comstock patent medicine business was involved in the sale of a number of successful drugs, including Carlton's Pile Liniment, Oldridge's Balm of Columbia, Kline's Tooth Ache Drops and Judson's Worm Tea. Between 1833 and the time of the acquisition of the rights to Dr. Morse's Indian Root Pills, the company remained under the control of the Comstocks through the additional involvement of Edwin's four brothers:
544:. Packaging and directions are now modern, the pills being described as "The Overnight Laxative with the Tonic Action," but a reproduction of the old label and the facsimile signature of William Henry Comstock, Sr., are still being portrayed. Thus, the Indian Root Pills have been manufactured continuously for at least 115 years and the Comstock business, through the original and successor firms, has survived for nearly 140 years.
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The subsidiary in
Australia — W.H. Comstock Company Pty Ltd — had been headed by the former branch manager for the Comstocks. He acquired the rights for Australia and the Orient following the dissolution of the Canadian firm. The Australian firm distributed in New Zealand, Singapore, and Hong Kong up
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August 10, 1855, Andrew Judson White, who had a 50% partnership with Andrew B. Moore to distribute Dr. Morse's Indian Root Pills, entered into a contract (as individual) with
Comstock & Brother to manufacturer and distribute the pills — White was to receive 1/4th of the profits and the firm
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When
William Henry Comstock died in 1919, control of the company passed to his son, William Henry Comstock II (1897–1959), known as "Young Bill." A year after William Henry Comstock II died, his widow liquidated the company, selling the assets and patents to Milburn Medicine Company.
215:
until 1992. Packaging and directions are now modern, the pills being described as "The
Overnight Laxative with the Tonic Action", but a reproduction of the old label and the facsimile signature of William Henry Comstock, Sr. were still portrayed.
100:
industry, which thrived during most of the 19th and 20th centuries. Its manufacturer claimed the pills contained herbal ingredients that would help "cleanse the blood," as "impurity of the blood" was believed to be the cause of all disease.
82:
199:. Ownership of Dr. Morse's Indian Root Pills finally stabilized in 1867 when it settled solely in the hands of William Henry Comstock, and thereafter business was carried out under the name W.H. Comstock Co. Ltd.
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An 1854 Buffalo directory list A.B. Moore & Co. as being the successor to (i) C.C. Bristol & (ii) Moore, Liebetrut & Co. and lists Andrew Judson White as a clerk at A.B. Moore & Co.
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B. Lake Judson was formed to escape of having to compete selling the pills with the rebel company headed by the person bearing the manufacturer's name that
Comstock had promoted for three years.
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Dr. Morse's Indian Root Pills and
Comstock's Worm Tablets are still manufactured and sold by the W.H. Comstock Company Pty. Ltd., in Australia. The company was once a subsidiary of the
218:
The W.H. Comstock Co (Aust) Pty Ltd had registered in New South Wales as an
Australian Proprietary Company, by Limited Shares, on July 31, 1971, but deregistered on February 27, 1992.
527:. It is headed by the former branch manager for the Comstocks, who acquired the rights for Australia and the Orient following the dissolution of the Canadian firm.
183:
These reorganizations all occurred amid numerous disputes and lawsuits. During that long period of instability, the manufacturing operations moved from
157:. Rights to the pills were then transferred through a number of different business partnerships under the control of Moore involving:
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An
Annotated Catalogue of the Edward C. Atwater Collection of American Popular Medicine and Health Reform, Vol. III, Supplement: A–Z
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Note: Lucius continued to operate this firm after John & George left in 1849 over a dispute with Lucius. Lucius exited the
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The front of a 19th or early 20th
Century facsimile of a $ 20 Confederate note used for marketing Dr. Morse's Indian Root Pills.
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in northern New York, on the Canada–US border. This was not the firm's first move to the area. Three or four years earlier,
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The reverse of the fake note where the marketing took place, naming W. H. Comstock as the "Sole Proprietor" at the time.
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Note: George still retained exclusive possession to all trademarks, recipes, and rights to medicines
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Note: George retained exclusive possession to all trademarks, recipes, and rights to medicines
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The W.H. Comstock Co (Aust) Pty Ltd. had registered in New South Wales as an Australian
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was one of the most successful and enduring products to be manufactured and marketed in
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In April 1867, the processing of Morse's Indian Root Pills moved from New York City to
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591:
History of the Comstock Patent Medicine Business and Dr. Morse's Indian Root Pills
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Note: This partnership was terminated at the death of John Carlton Comstock
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and then to dual sites on opposite sides of the St. Lawrence River, one at
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business and resumed his legal career, continuing until his death in 1876.
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The Indian Root Pills were first formulated and manufactured in 1854 by
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Dr. Morse's Indian Root Pills have their genesis with the father of
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compiled and annotated by Christopher T. Hoolihan (born 1949),
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557:, on July 31, 1971, but deregistered on February 27, 1992.
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William Henry Comstock (nephew), employee (son of Edwin)
164:, MD (1824–1898) — paternal uncle of publisher and poet
153:), who was then operating under the name A.B. Moore in
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Baldwin Lake Judson (1832–1867), son of Edwin's sister
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William Henry Comstock (nephew), clerk (son of Edwin)
113:Advertisement for Dr Morse's Indian Root Pills in
683:by Russ Disotell, Natural Heritage Books (1997)
360:Successor firm in 1864 was Comstock & Judson
486:Manufacturing & distribution in Australia
289:(1853–1876), in the rear of the courtyard of
8:
275:Ann Moore (Lucius's mother-in-law), partner
474:. The Indian Root Pill plant remained in
438:This firm succeeded Comstock & Brother
69:Learn how and when to remove this message
230:Succession of manufacturers in the 1800s
32:This article includes a list of general
670:
466:had taken over an existing business in
432:William Henry Comstock, partner (1/4)
402:William Henry Comstock, partner (1/4)
354:William Henry Comstock, partner (1/4)
346:9 John Street (1 October 1853 — 1855)
7:
575:W.H. Comstock, Morristown, New York
430:George Wells Comstock, partner (1/2)
400:George Wells Comstock, partner (1/2)
352:George Wells Comstock, partner (1/2)
573:Morse's Indian Root Pill — Almanac,
532:The Australian firm distributes in
326:(1 August 1850 — 17 September 1853)
296:Lucius Samuel Comstock, MD, partner
257:Lucius Samuel Comstock, MD, partner
132:Lucius Samuel Comstock, (1806–1876)
654:William H. Comstock Company papers
434:Baldwin Lake Judson, partner (1/4)
404:Baldwin Lake Judson, partner (1/4)
356:Baldwin Lake Judson, partner (1/4)
38:it lacks sufficient corresponding
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470:, directly across the river from
141:George Wells Comstock (1820–1889)
138:John Carlton Comstock (1819–1853)
23:
507:W.H. Comstock Company Pty. Ltd.
494:W.H. Comstock Company Pty. Ltd.
300:George Wells Comstock, employee
271:Lucius Samuel Comstock, partner
263:George Wells Comstock, employee
261:John Carlton Comstock, employee
135:Albert Lee Comstock (1802–1876)
85:William H. Comstock, circa 1905
601:another alternate link to text
334:George Wells Comstock, partner
332:John Carlton Comstock, partner
320:George Wells Comstock, partner
318:John Carlton Comstock, partner
298:John Carlton Comstock, partner
115:East Maitland, New South Wales
1:
640:University of Rochester Press
605:Smithsonian Institution Press
348:50 Leonard Street (1855–1864)
90:Dr. Morse's Indian Root Pills
415:Baldwin Lake Judson, partner
390:Andrew Judson White, partner
316:Lucius Comstock, MD, partner
314:(March 1849 — 1 August 1850)
259:Albert Lee Comstock, partner
312:Comstock & Co. Brothers
246:Andrew B. Moore, proprietor
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679:Brockville: The River City
607:, Washington, D.C. (1972)
478:for the next ninety years.
283:57 John Street (1841–1853)
96:as part of the lucrative
388:Andrew B. Moore, partner
269:(11 January 1841 — 1846)
659:University of Rochester
512:Wellington, New Zealand
442:W.H. Comstock Co., Ltd.
410:Comstock & Brothers
382:(1 January 1859 — 1914)
344:(1 October 1853 — 1864)
53:more precise citations.
597:alternate link to text
464:William Henry Comstock
342:Comstock & Brother
324:Comstock & Brother
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178:William Henry Comstock
126:William Henry Comstock
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603:) by Robert B. Shaw,
419:Comstock & Judson
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174:George Wells Comstock
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16:Quack medical product
460:Saint Lawrence River
456:Morristown, New York
447:Morristown, New York
384:10 Courtlandt Street
380:A.J. White & Co.
364:A.J. White & Co.
238:A.B. Moore & Co.
197:Morristown, New York
551:Proprietary Company
468:Brockville, Ontario
451:Brockville, Ontario
413:106 Franklin Street
398:106 Franklin Street
366:(10 August 1855 — )
273:21 Courtland Street
195:, and the other at
193:Brockville, Ontario
162:Andrew Judson White
149:(born around 1821,
567:General references
428:New York, New York
386:New York, New York
373:New York, New York
350:New York, New York
330:New York, New York
294:New York, New York
279:Comstock & Co.
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253:Comstock & Co.
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642:, pg. 165 (2008)
503:Sydney, Australia
291:St. Paul's Chapel
244:Buffalo, New York
166:James Terry White
155:Buffalo, New York
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534:New Zealand
444:(1867–1960)
421:(born 1864)
396:(born 1859)
281:(born 1841)
255:(1837–1841)
168:(1845–1920)
51:introducing
562:References
521:Brockville
476:Morristown
472:Morristown
34:references
693:815757409
689:287540453
628:252407470
621:102918677
617:595215741
585:185102745
542:Hong Kong
538:Singapore
458:, on the
119:Australia
59:July 2018
705:Category
648:47716505
581:18337701
151:New York
185:Buffalo
105:History
47:improve
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613:251877
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540:, and
525:Canada
449:&
36:, but
553:, by
685:OCLC
644:OCLC
624:OCLC
609:OCLC
577:OCLC
599:) (
423:50
368:50
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
