Here are my findings on the Southern Alterative

by James Viguerie

03 September 2013

[read first: Two rare and early ‘Southern’ Bottles]

Here are my findings on the Southern Alterative (pictured above) embossed New Orleans. I am attaching a number of advertisements. The most important one is from The Star State Patriot which is pictured below:

Southern Alterative – The Star State Patriot – Marshall, Texas – March 27, 1852

Advertisements for the Febrifuge were found in papers from Texas to New York.

This is the only advertisement I have found showing someone making a “Southern Alterative” reference. Dr. A. Kendall was also know for his Electrical Febrifuge. Advertisements for the Febrifuge were found in papers from Texas to New York.

A check of the New Orleans City directory in 1851 found the following people at 72 Magazine Street:

Bisel, Elizabeth Franses, boarding
Kendall, A. & Co., patent medicines
Orton, H. B., (not specified)
Seat, N. W. firm Kendall & Co.

Here are some depictions of New Orleans from that time period:

Magazine Street in the 1850s – New Orleans, Louisiana

1850s view Canal Street which 72 Magazine Street (A. Kendall & Co.) was at the intersection

It is interesting that both Kendall and Seat had “electric” products. 

Based on the city directory, I would say the “& Co” was N. W. Seat. I found that an N. W. Seat put out a Negative Electric Fluid in New York in 1853. Kendall & Co. had a depot in New York in 1851 run by an S. E. Kendall. It is interesting that both Kendall and Seat had “electric” products. The web page antiquemedicines.com has pictures of both bottles (pictured below).

N W SEAT M.D. NEGATIVE ELECTRIC FLUID NEW YORK
161 Grand St 1853. This medicine’s name comes from some of the early 19th century philosophical ideas on the nature of electric currents. – antiquemedicines.com

See more pictures of N. W. Seat M.D. Negative Electric Fluid bottle at bottom of post.

1852 advertisement (see below) and a A. KENDALL’S ELECTRICAL FEBRIFUGE NEW ORLEANS – antiquemedicines.com

I also checked to see if Dr. Burney James Kendall, of Kendall’s Spavin Cure fame, was related. I could not find any connection there.

Dr. Burney James KENDALL was born on 30 October 1845 in Enosburg Falls, Franklin City, Vermont. He was buried in 1922 in Rochester, Minnesota. He died on 11 January 1922 at the age of 76 in Geneva, Illinois.

Related Kendall Advertising

A. Kendall & Co., 72 Magazine-Street, New Orleans – New York past present and future – comprising a history of the city of New York – 1851

A. Kendall & Co., 72 Magazine-street, New Orleans – De Bow’s New Orleans Monthly Review vol 12 – 1852

A. Kendall & Co., 72 Magazine-Street, New Orleans – De Bow’s New Orleans Monthly Review vol 13 – 1852

Kendall Botanic Medicine advertisement – The Planters’ Banner – Franklin Attakapas Co. Louisiana – February 8, 1849

Kendall on Yellow Fever – Transactions of the National Eclectic Medical Association of the United States of America for the Years – 1877

The Electrical Febrifuge or Speed’s Fever Tonic advertisement (part 1) – Weekly Journal – Galveston, Texas – June 3, 1851 – part 1

The Electrical Febrifuge or Speed’s Fever Tonic advertisement (part 2) – Weekly Journal – Galveston, Texas – June 3, 1851

Kendall Important to Planters advertisement – The Star State Patriot – Marshall, Texas – February 14, 1852

Post Follow-up

N. W. SEAT MD NEGATIVE ELECTRIC FLUID

N.W. SEAT, MD | NEGATIVE ELECTRIC FLUID – Jimmy Bray Collection

N.W. SEAT, MD | NEGATIVE ELECTRIC FLUID – Jimmy Bray Collection

N.W. SEAT, MD | NEGATIVE ELECTRIC FLUID – Jimmy Bray Collection