Minard's is a brand of

liniment Liniment (from la, linere, meaning "to anoint"), also called embrocation and heat rub, is a medicated topical preparation for application to the skin. Some liniments have viscosity similar to that of water; others are lotion or balm; still othe ...

History

Like other

patent medicines A patent medicine, sometimes called a proprietary medicine, is an over-the-counter (nonprescription) medicine or medicinal preparation that is typically protected and advertised by a trademark and trade name (and sometimes a patent) and claimed ...

, Minard's was sold by its creator with exaggerated claims. Dr. Levi Minard the King of Pain" from

Hants County Hants County is an historical county and census division of Nova Scotia, Canada. Local government is provided by the West Hants Regional Municipality, and the Municipality of the District of East Hants. History Formation The county of Hant ...

Nova Scotia Nova Scotia ( ; ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is one of the three Maritime provinces and one of the four Atlantic provinces. Nova Scotia is Latin for "New Scotland". Most of the population are native En ...

, created Minard's Liniment. The cream is a special liniment for easing stiff, sore muscles, and aching backs. Dr. Minard's preparation, which he developed in the 1860s from ingredients known to bring comfort and relief, became a popular home therapeutic. Its use became widespread throughout the Maritime provinces and in Newfoundland. The popularity of Minard's Liniment then pushed west into Quebec and Ontario, where it became known as the "King of Pain Relief" because of the immediate relief it brought. The Minard's Liniment brand was acquired by Stella Pharmaceutical in 1998.

Active ingredients

Camphor: It is a natural

analgesic An analgesic drug, also called simply an analgesic (American English), analgaesic (British English), pain reliever, or painkiller, is any member of the group of drugs used to achieve relief from pain (that is, analgesia or pain management). It ...

from

camphor Camphor () is a waxy, colorless solid with a strong aroma. It is classified as a terpenoid and a cyclic ketone. It is found in the wood of the camphor laurel ('' Cinnamomum camphora''), a large evergreen tree found in East Asia; and in the k ...

trees (broad-leafed evergreen). Camphor stimulates the nerve endings in the skin, producing

numbness Hypoesthesia or numbness is a common side effect of various medical conditions that manifests as a reduced sense of touch or sensation, or a partial loss of sensitivity to sensory stimuli. In everyday speech this is generally referred to as nu ...

at the site of application, reducing pain and discomfort in muscle joints and the area below the skin where applied. Ammonia Water: an

alkaline In chemistry, an alkali (; from ar, القلوي, al-qaly, lit=ashes of the saltwort) is a basic, ionic salt of an alkali metal or an alkaline earth metal. An alkali can also be defined as a base that dissolves in water. A solution of a ...

substance that helps alleviate burning sensations. Medicinal

Turpentine Turpentine (which is also called spirit of turpentine, oil of turpentine, terebenthene, terebinthine and (colloquially) turps) is a fluid obtained by the distillation of resin harvested from living trees, mainly pines. Mainly used as a special ...

: Distilled from pine oil, it is a counter-irritant. A counter-irritant produces a mild, inflammatory reaction where applied in order to relieve more deep-seated pain or discomfort. It has analgesic properties and aids in stimulating circulation.

References

External links

Official Minards Site

Stella Pharmaceutical
1879 introductions Patent medicines {{Product-stub