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| Richard, Rob, Jim and Tom in the tower |
Recently, we toured the famous "Bromo
Seltzer" clock tower in Baltimore with our friends Jim and Richard. This
is part one of that visit, and this focuses on what Bromo-Seltzer was- we'll go
inside the tower on tomorrow's blog.
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| Display case of the Bromo Seltzer blue bottles |
OUR
MEMORIES - As a
kid, I (Rob) remember my grandparents having a big blue bottle of Bromo Seltzer in
Massachusetts. I didn't know it was made in Baltimore. Bromo-Seltzer was the precursor to Alka
Seltzer, but it had some other ingredients in it that really needed to come out (as you'll learn here). The
owner knew how to market, and he specifically had the blue bottles created to
market his product. That's how we both remembered it. - Rob and Tom
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| Jim and Richard near an old marketing stand |
WHAT IS BROMO SELTZER? -
Bromo-Seltzer (acetaminophen, sodium bicarbonate, and citric acid), was a brand
of antacid used to relieve pain occurring together with heartburn, upset
stomach, or acid indigestion. First produced by inventor Isaac E. Emerson's
drug company of Baltimore, Maryland, in 1888, Bromo-Seltzer was sold in the
United States in the form of effervescent granules which must be mixed with
water before ingestion.
HAPPENED TO THE PRODUCT? - The product took its name from a
component of the original formula, sodium bromide. Each dose contained 3.2
mEq/teaspoon of this active ingredient. Bromides are a class of tranquilizers that
were withdrawn from the U.S. market in 1975 due to their toxicity.
Their sedative effect probably accounted for Bromo-Seltzer's popularity as a
remedy for hangovers. Early formulas also used, as the analgesic ingredient,
acetanilide, now known as a poisonous substance.
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| Tom and Rob in the presentation room |
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| Rob and Tom Touring the Art rooms |
Bromo-Seltzer's main offices and main factory
were located in downtown Baltimore, Maryland. The factory's most notable
feature was the clock tower, built in 1911, which featured "BROMO SELTZER"
in place of the numbers on all four clock faces.
HISTORY AND TOURS TODAY- When the product disappeared, the factory where Bromo Seltzer was made and bottled shuttered. The factory was torn down, but the tower that was a small part of it remains. The tower was recently opened to the public for tours and is the home of many artists who sell their artwork on the premises. The tower is also open for public tours.
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| Jim and Richard |
NEXT: A Tour of the Bromo Seltzer Clock Tower!
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| Jim and Richard being goofy |
