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JOSEPH W. BOWLES: NATIONAL KIDNEY AND LIVER CURE

Joseph W. Bowles started manufacturing his National Kidney And Liver Cure in January 1891. By October 27 1891 he would have his cure registered and trademarked. His home slash factory was located in Mclean County at Normal Ave. in Normal, Illinois. Joseph was a Civil War Veteran and claimed in an 1895 advertisement that "it has cured more soldiers in the last five years than any army medicine in the United States". He was best known as the old singing soldier.

He would peddle his product by a medicine wagon with a troop of musicians, singers and entertainers. His son Earl and his daughter Laura would join him on summer tours. He would sell his cure for $1.00 per bottle.

His factory would close in 1911. He sold his eight acres and his farmhouse slash factory and would move outside of Columbus, Ohio were he became a farmer. He would die in 1926 at the age of 77.

Below is a photo of this bottle embossed NATIONAL / KIDNEY AND LIVER / CURE.

national kidney bottle .

national kidney ad.national trade mark

Above is a advertisement from 1902 and the registered trademark.

References:

http://www.pantagraph.com/

Frank & Frank Jr. (Wicker) Bottle Collection.

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