Anise Seed
Black Antimony
Calomel
Camphor
Gum Arabic
Gum Asphaltum
Gum Tragacanth
Hemlock Oil
Horehound
Laudanum
Licorice Root
Magnolia Water
Muriatic Acid
Saltpetre
Sienna Oil
Sulphur
Wormseed

It is not known where the calomel (mercurous chloride) and some of the other harsher ingredients were used—­certainly not in the Indian Root Pills or the Mountain Herb Worm Tea—­for the company frequently incorporated warnings against the use of calomel in its advertising and even promised rewards to persons proving that any of its preparations contained calomel.

Less active ingredients used to supply bulk and flavor included alcohol, turpentine, sugar, corn starch, linseed meal, rosin, tallow, and white glue.  Very large quantities of sugar were used, for we find that Comstock was buying one 250-pound barrel of sugar from C.B.  Herriman in Ogdensburg approximately once a month.  In the patent-medicine business it was necessary, of course, that the pills and tonics must be palatable, neutralizing the unpleasant flavor of some of the active ingredients; therefore large quantities of sugar and of pleasant-tasting herbs were required.  It was also desirable, for obvious reasons, to incorporate some stimulant or habit-forming element into the various preparations.

[Footnote 11:  Actually, the formula for the Indian Root Pills would seem to have corresponded closely with that for “Indian Cathartic Pills” given in Dr. Chase’s Recipes, published in 1866.  These were described as follows: 

Aloes and gamboge, of each 1 oz.; mandrake and blood-root, with gum myrrh, of each 1/4 oz.; gum camphor and cayenne, of each 1-1/2 drs.; ginger, 4 oz.; all finely pulverized and thoroughly mixed, with thick mucilage (made by putting a little water upon equal quantities of gum arabic and gum tragacanth) into pill mass; then formed into common sized pills.  Dose:  Two to four pills, according to the robustness of the patient.]

A register of incoming shipments for the year 1905 shows that the factory was still receiving large quantities of aloes, gamboge, mandrake, jalap, and pepper.  One new ingredient being used at this time was talc, some of which originated at Gouverneur, within a few miles of the pill manufactory, but more of it was described as “German talc.”  The same register gives the formulas for three of the company’s other preparations.  One of these, the Nerve & Bone Liniment, was simply compounded of four elements: 

3 gal.  Turpentine 2 qts.  Linseed Oil 2 lbs.  Hemlock 2 lbs.  Concentrated Amonia.

The formula for the Condition Powders (for horses and livestock) was far more complex, consisting of: 

4 lbs.  Sulphur 4 lbs.  Saltpetre 4 lbs.  Black Antimony 4 lbs.  Feongreek Seed 8 lbs.  Oil Meal 1-1/2 oz.  Arsenic 2 oz.  Tart Antimony 6 lbs.  Powdered Rosin 2 lbs.  Salt 2 lbs.  Ashes 4 lbs.  Brand (Bran-?).

The name of the third preparation was not given, but the ingredients were: