Tatanka Indian Herbal Remedy
If you think herbal remedies are new, think again. There have been “miracle cures” around for a long time. Marketing campaigns attached to these products are nothing short of wonderous. In reality, most of the old tonics sold by “Snake Oil Salesman” failed to deliver on their promises, unable to provide the anticipated results. Still, it was fun to read some of the claims in the old ads.
Recently, I stumbled across an old bottle of Tatanka Herbal Compound, Made in Chemung, NY. It was an old bottle nestled firmly in its outer box. A little mouse chewed and worn; it was relatively in good condition considering it survived by sitting in a medicine cupboard for 80 years. The bottle is half full of tonic, brown in color and was purchased then for, $1.00. I paid quite a bit more, and ordered it on e-bay, believe it or not.
This product description claims it’s an “old Indian tonic”.[1] I took photos so you can see the uniqueness of this remedy for yourself. The healing claims are quite interesting for adults and children alike, in fact, it claims you will get to “feeling like a million dollars in no time flat” and “in less than two days’ time”![2] Wow! “Neuritis, Rheumatism”.[3] “Cleansing excess acids and wastes from the blood”![4] Pep, “it will give you pep" and, “help depression”.[5] Even “remove puff sacks under your eyes”![6] Well, the list seems endless. So, what is interesting is the original patent for this product, listing it as a “diuretic for kidney, bladder and liver”.[7] This “Old Fashioned Remedy Sold for over 70 years”[8] according to the ads.
You will notice the outside of the box has a drawing of an Indian outside of his teepee. The Iroquois and Delaware lived in long houses and log homes in Chemung, not teepees. The drawing of the Indian Chief in full headdress is another misnomer for this area. So, I looked up Tatanka on the internet. Sitting Bull’s (Lakota Tribe) real name was Tatanka-Iyotanka. I don’t believe the tonic was meant to represent the Indians from Chemung, but then Chemung Spring Water represented Native Americans, scantily clad, wearing loincloth and full headdress. Unfortunately, there were many misnomers when it came to our native inhabitants, this being just one of them.
I did a search and found many ads that I am sharing with you. The patent for the original trademark was a red banner with Tatanka spelled inside it. Filed in 1935, with claims it was used since 1930. It was sold into the 1950’s so it had a relatively long run for a product like this. Richard M. Greene, was listed as doing business as The Tatanka Company, Chemung, NY. [9]
Who was Richard Monroe Greene? Born in Binghamton in 1889[10], he lived on North Street in the Town of Chemung, NY in 1940. He had a wife, Hazel and two sons. George and Richard Jr. The elder Richard, listed as a manufacturer of patent medication and son George was a salesman for wholesale patent medication. When asked amount of income, Richard replied zero. While, George reported, $1,040. for the year. They both worked 52 weeks a year.[11]
What ingredients are found in this Native American tonic? As you can see, the miracle cures of this remedy seem accurate to herbal claims, but since the percentages used are unknown, its effectiveness is questionable.
I know little else about Tatanka. I’ve never heard of it prior to two weeks ago and I’ve never heard anyone in Chemung mention it. I’d be curious to know how many people in the town still have an old bottle of Tatanka in their homes. In fact, I’d like to hear testaments to the product from residents of our town. In the meantime, I’ll keep the lid on this bottle. I don’t plan to try it, cherry flavor or not.
Author, Mary Ellen Kunst, Historian, Town of Chemung, May 5, 2020
[1] Tatanka Ad, The Evening Times January 26, 1940, Newspapers.com
[2] Tatanka Ad, The Hight Point Enterprise (High Point, NC) March 20, 1952, Newspapers.com
[3] Tatanka Ad, The Evening Times Feb 14, 1940, Newspapers.com
[4] Tatanka Ad, The Evening Times Feb 14, 1940, Newspapers.com
[5] Tatanka Ad, The Evening Times January 12, 1940, Newspapers.com
[6] Tatanka Ad, The Evening Times January 26, 1940, Newspapers.com
[7] Official Gazette of the United States Patent office, Volume 461
[8] Tatanka Ad, The High Point Enterprise (High Point, NC) March 20, 1952
[9] Official Gazette of the United States Patent Office
[10] U.S. World War I Draft Card, 1917-18, Ancestry.com
[11] U.S. Federal Census, Town of Chemung, 1940, Ancestry.com
[12] https://www.rxlist.com/wild_cherry/supplements.htm
[13] https://www.rxlist.com/black_cohosh/supplements.htm
[14] https://advicefromtheherblady.com/plant-profiles/roots-rhizomes/mandrake/
[15] https://www.rxlist.com/cascara/supplements.htm
[16] https://www.rxlist.com/dandelion/supplements.htm
[17] https://www.rxlist.com/yellow_dock/supplements.htm
[18] https://www.rxlist.com/celery/supplements.htm
[19] https://www.rxlist.com/sarsaparilla/supplements.htm
[20] https://www.rxlist.com/glycerol/supplements.htm
If you think herbal remedies are new, think again. There have been “miracle cures” around for a long time. Marketing campaigns attached to these products are nothing short of wonderous. In reality, most of the old tonics sold by “Snake Oil Salesman” failed to deliver on their promises, unable to provide the anticipated results. Still, it was fun to read some of the claims in the old ads.
Recently, I stumbled across an old bottle of Tatanka Herbal Compound, Made in Chemung, NY. It was an old bottle nestled firmly in its outer box. A little mouse chewed and worn; it was relatively in good condition considering it survived by sitting in a medicine cupboard for 80 years. The bottle is half full of tonic, brown in color and was purchased then for, $1.00. I paid quite a bit more, and ordered it on e-bay, believe it or not.
This product description claims it’s an “old Indian tonic”.[1] I took photos so you can see the uniqueness of this remedy for yourself. The healing claims are quite interesting for adults and children alike, in fact, it claims you will get to “feeling like a million dollars in no time flat” and “in less than two days’ time”![2] Wow! “Neuritis, Rheumatism”.[3] “Cleansing excess acids and wastes from the blood”![4] Pep, “it will give you pep" and, “help depression”.[5] Even “remove puff sacks under your eyes”![6] Well, the list seems endless. So, what is interesting is the original patent for this product, listing it as a “diuretic for kidney, bladder and liver”.[7] This “Old Fashioned Remedy Sold for over 70 years”[8] according to the ads.
You will notice the outside of the box has a drawing of an Indian outside of his teepee. The Iroquois and Delaware lived in long houses and log homes in Chemung, not teepees. The drawing of the Indian Chief in full headdress is another misnomer for this area. So, I looked up Tatanka on the internet. Sitting Bull’s (Lakota Tribe) real name was Tatanka-Iyotanka. I don’t believe the tonic was meant to represent the Indians from Chemung, but then Chemung Spring Water represented Native Americans, scantily clad, wearing loincloth and full headdress. Unfortunately, there were many misnomers when it came to our native inhabitants, this being just one of them.
I did a search and found many ads that I am sharing with you. The patent for the original trademark was a red banner with Tatanka spelled inside it. Filed in 1935, with claims it was used since 1930. It was sold into the 1950’s so it had a relatively long run for a product like this. Richard M. Greene, was listed as doing business as The Tatanka Company, Chemung, NY. [9]
Who was Richard Monroe Greene? Born in Binghamton in 1889[10], he lived on North Street in the Town of Chemung, NY in 1940. He had a wife, Hazel and two sons. George and Richard Jr. The elder Richard, listed as a manufacturer of patent medication and son George was a salesman for wholesale patent medication. When asked amount of income, Richard replied zero. While, George reported, $1,040. for the year. They both worked 52 weeks a year.[11]
What ingredients are found in this Native American tonic? As you can see, the miracle cures of this remedy seem accurate to herbal claims, but since the percentages used are unknown, its effectiveness is questionable.
- Wild Cherry Bark heads the list. Who doesn’t love the flavor of cherry? Wild cherry contains chemicals that might help reduce swelling (inflammation) and have a drying (astringent) effect on the tissues. Possibly safe in small concentrations. Should not be taken if pregnant, causing birth defects.[12]
- Black Cohosh: first used for medicinal purposes by Native American Indians! Too many claims to list with effects similar to serotonin and estrogen.[13]
- Mandrake: another interesting item and if you are a Harry Potter fan, “Chamber of Secrets”, you must read the website. See the footnote link attached.[14] Much superstition swirls around Mandrake. Mandrake can cause hallucinations and act as a narcotic, sometimes causing death.
- Cascara: was used primarily as a laxative.[15]
- Dandelion: what don’t they use this for? Everything from, tonsillitis and heart failure to a laxative.[16]
- Yellow Dock: pain, inflammation, laxative, bacterial infections, scurvy and constipation.[17]
- Celery Seed: rheumatism, gout, hysteria, nervousness, headache, weight loss, blood purification and the lists go on.[18]
- Sarsaparilla: arthritis, kidney disease, syphilis, steroid effect like testosterone.[19]
- Glycerin: is an amino acid, probably used to add viscosity to the tonic, but can also be used for schizophrenia, cancer prevention and for kidney and liver.[20]
- Simple Syrup: 1 part sugar to 1 part water. A staple in any beverage maker's repertoire.
- Alcohol by volume, 13%.
I know little else about Tatanka. I’ve never heard of it prior to two weeks ago and I’ve never heard anyone in Chemung mention it. I’d be curious to know how many people in the town still have an old bottle of Tatanka in their homes. In fact, I’d like to hear testaments to the product from residents of our town. In the meantime, I’ll keep the lid on this bottle. I don’t plan to try it, cherry flavor or not.
Author, Mary Ellen Kunst, Historian, Town of Chemung, May 5, 2020
[1] Tatanka Ad, The Evening Times January 26, 1940, Newspapers.com
[2] Tatanka Ad, The Hight Point Enterprise (High Point, NC) March 20, 1952, Newspapers.com
[3] Tatanka Ad, The Evening Times Feb 14, 1940, Newspapers.com
[4] Tatanka Ad, The Evening Times Feb 14, 1940, Newspapers.com
[5] Tatanka Ad, The Evening Times January 12, 1940, Newspapers.com
[6] Tatanka Ad, The Evening Times January 26, 1940, Newspapers.com
[7] Official Gazette of the United States Patent office, Volume 461
[8] Tatanka Ad, The High Point Enterprise (High Point, NC) March 20, 1952
[9] Official Gazette of the United States Patent Office
[10] U.S. World War I Draft Card, 1917-18, Ancestry.com
[11] U.S. Federal Census, Town of Chemung, 1940, Ancestry.com
[12] https://www.rxlist.com/wild_cherry/supplements.htm
[13] https://www.rxlist.com/black_cohosh/supplements.htm
[14] https://advicefromtheherblady.com/plant-profiles/roots-rhizomes/mandrake/
[15] https://www.rxlist.com/cascara/supplements.htm
[16] https://www.rxlist.com/dandelion/supplements.htm
[17] https://www.rxlist.com/yellow_dock/supplements.htm
[18] https://www.rxlist.com/celery/supplements.htm
[19] https://www.rxlist.com/sarsaparilla/supplements.htm
[20] https://www.rxlist.com/glycerol/supplements.htm
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