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Inhale Tar-Oil

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Victorian Lamps41 of 268Jeweled Table LampMy Beautiful Electric,Vintage, 2-Way light up and Table Top Lamp
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    Posted 8 years ago

    SpiritBear
    (813 items)

    A couple years ago I picked up just the lamp to one of these. Ever since, I had desired for the whole set-up but didn't want to pay $30 to get just the lamp and stand.

    For $15 I found it still in the box (most of the box, anyway). Sadly, someone taped the box, which is a mistake.

    Vapo-Cresolene lasted on the market for about half a century as a cure, and later remedy, for many ailments, including Asthma. Essentially, you poured the coal-tar product into the dish and lit the burner under it, which would cause it to boil away into the air in a sealed room, typically whilst you were sleeping.

    Not only a medicine but a night-light, really. Safe for even the most delicate child (says the box), as you fill their lungs with tar! Just like what many parents do today by smoking inside the house.

    The bottles are bumpy, as it warns that the contents are poison. (The box says to not eat the contents, and states that it is poison. So, why not inhale it instead!?)

    A fun quack-medicine piece. Could be used as a diffuser.

    This model is circa 1899-1907. A Victorian invention of the 1880s.

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    Comments

    1. PoliticalPinbacks PoliticalPinbacks, 8 years ago
      Early aroma therapy... and if poison the last one you will ever need
    2. SpiritBear, 8 years ago
      It was designed to help you breath. LOL.
    3. PoliticalPinbacks PoliticalPinbacks, 8 years ago
      A cure all found to be basically useless - PDF at bottom shows your item.
      Cresolene is a dark liquid with a pungent smell made from coal tar < YIKES
      The Vapo-Cresolene vaporizer was supposed to cure “Whooping Cough,
      Spasmodic Croup, Nasal Catarrh, Colds, Bronchitis, Coughs, Sore Throat, Broncho
      [sic] Pneumonia, The Paroxysms of Asthma and Hay Fever, The Bronchial
      Complications of Scarlet Fever and Measles and as an aid in the treatment of
      Diphtheria and Certain Inflammatory Throat Diseases.”

      https://sha.org/bottle/pdffiles/MunseyVapo-cresolene.pdf
    4. SpiritBear, 8 years ago
      A decent read on it. Didn't no Sha had an article on it.
    5. fortapache fortapache, 8 years ago
      Early vaping? Looks like a neat piece.
    6. SpiritBear, 8 years ago
      Vaporisers are still used today.
      My cat has been intrigue by it.
    7. PoliticalPinbacks PoliticalPinbacks, 8 years ago
      Big business these days from Home Health Care, E - Cigarettes to Medical Marijuana
    8. blunderbuss2 blunderbuss2, 8 years ago
      And they say smoking is bad for you !!
    9. PoliticalPinbacks PoliticalPinbacks, 8 years ago
      Someone burned cat nip eh
    10. blunderbuss2 blunderbuss2, 8 years ago
      I tried a Nico-Derm patch once, but it was too hard to keep lit.
    11. Manikin Manikin, 8 years ago
      oh bb2 your to funny :-)

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