John Perry’s Dr. Warrens Bilious Bitters – Boston

16 November 2013 (R•061914)

Finding an advertisement for a Dr. Warrens Bilious Bitters in the Halifax Morning Sun, on March 12, 1866 (pictured below) prompted this post. I knew I had an example somewhere in my ‘Aqua Room’ and thought it might be a good time to look at the brand. There are two sizes, the large at 7 5/8 inch and the smaller, which I have, at 6 3/8″ tall. The Carlyn Ring and W. C. Ham listing in Bitters Bottles is as follows:

W 44 DR WARREN’S BILIOUS BITTERS

JOHN A. PERRYS / DR WARREN’S / BILIOUS BITTERS /  BOSTON MASS // c //
7 5/8 x 3 3/8 x 1 4/4 (5 3/4)
Oval, Aqua, NSC, 1 sp, Scarce
Drug Catalogs: 1876-7, 1880 and 1885 Goodwin large and small

W 45 DR WARREN’S BILIOUS BITTERS

JOHN A PERRYS / DR WARREN’S / BILIOUS BITTERS BOSTON MASS // c //
L…Dr. Warren’s Bilious Bitters
Manufactured only by John A. Perry, Manufacturing Chemist
6 3/8 x 2 3/4 x 1 1/2 (4 1/4)
Oval, Aqua, NSC, 1 sp, Scarce

Dr. Warren’s Bilious Bitters Reverse Pained Glass Sign

John A. Perry and Milo S. Burr opened a Patent Medicine business at 1 Cornhill, in Boston in 1853. They were listed the same until 1855, when Perry left. Starting in 1856, the company was called Milo S. Burr & Co (Henry B. Foster and G. L. Seaver). Burr seemed to have a habit of taking in partners for a couple of years, and when they left their preparations stayed with him. Burr got rid of Foster in 58, in 59 he picked up G. H. Reed, then got rid of Seaver by 1860.

According to the Wilsons, Perry threw in with J. Russell Spalding after leaving Burr, and they were partners until around 1880. Perry, in 1864 was listed as an Apothecary on Well’s Block in Manchester, New Hampshire. In 1867, Perry was again listed together with Milo S. Burr. M. S. Burr & Co. was then at 26 Tremont Street. He was there at least until 1871; in 72 he was on his own again at 144 Northampton, and by 1873 he had moved to 623 Shawmut Ave. Starting in 1875, Albert Q. and Thomas De Q. Perry Joined John in the Apothecary business. They were probably his sons. The family business of John A. Perry & Co. continued until 1879. [Hair Raising Stories]

Label: For purifying the blood, curing liver complaint, jaundice, sour stomach, heartburn, loss of appetite, faintness, dizziness, headache, pain in the side, back and loins, general weakness and debility, cold and fevers, fever and ague, eruptions on the skin, humors of the blood, costivess, piles and all diseases caused by impure blood or a deranged condition of the stomach, liver or bowels.

Milo S. Burr: Silas Burr (Daniel, Ebenezer, John, Samuel, Benjamin, Mr.) was born on 19 September 1794 in Norfolk, Conn. He died on 5 September 1866 in Norfolk, Connecticut.

Boston Directory: Lists John Warren as a doctor in 1810 and in 1830 William Jr. as a druggist. The listing is continuous to 1880.

Boston Directory: John Perry & Son (John M.), merchants 2 Rhowes wf., Boston Directory 1820

Boston Directory: John A. Perry, Milo S. Burr (Burr & Perry) patent medicines, 1 Cornhill, The Boston Directory, 1855

Boston Directory: John Perry and Son are listed as merchants from 1810, as apothecaries in 1875 and as liquor merchants in 1885. From 1870, the bitters were produced by Burr & Perry.

Advertisement: Dr. Warrens Bilious Bitters advertisement (pictured below) – City of Manchester, New Hampshire Directory, 1864

Advertisement: Dr. Warrens Bilious Bitters advertisement (pictured below) – The Provincial Almanack for the year of Our Lord 1865

Advertisement: Dr. Warrens Bilious Bitters (pictured below) – Halifax Morning Sun, March 12, 1866

Book: Dr. Warren’s Bilious Bitters!: The Great Blood Purifier and Regulator, Cures Liver Complaint, Jaundice, Biliousness, Weakness, Debility, Colds and Fevers, Fever and Ague, Headache, Dizziness, Eruptions on the Skin, Humors of the Blood, Loss of Appetite, Female Complaints, Costiveness, Piles, and All Complaints Caused by Impure Blood … : John A. Perry, Chemist, Boston, Proprietor … Burr & Perry, General Agents … Boston, Mass – Burr & Perry, John A. Perry, 1868

Contents: Dr. Warren’s Bilious Bitters, 18.5 % alcohol by volume, 116 Solid Matter. Grains to the fluid ounce. Documents of the City of Boston, 1876

Attributed: Lyndeboro/Lyndeborough Glass Factory in New Hampshire ca. 1880s

Contents: Warren’s Bilious Bitters, Boston. Teaspoon to 2 table-spoonfuls, 1 to 3 times daily. 21.5 per cent (alcohol), The New England Journal of Medicine, Massachusetts Medical Society, 1887

Passage: When in Harvard College, many years ago, I heard the eminent Dr. Warren say,—”Boston sacrifices hundreds of babes every year by not clothing their arms.” – 1896 Medicine, Vassar College

Aqua John Perry’s Dr. Warrens Bilious Bitters (W 45) – Boston – Meyer Collection

Dr. Warrens Bilious Bitters advertisement – Halifax Morning Sun, March 12, 1866

Dr. Warrens Bilious Bitters advertisement – Vineyard Gazette, July 7, 1865

Large size John A. Perry, Dr. Warren’s Bilious Bitters Boston Mass. Stands 7 3/4″ tall (W 44) – ebay

Dr. Warrens Bilious Bitters advertisement – The Provincial almanack for the year of Our Lord 1865

Dr. Warrens Bilious Bitters advertisement – City of Manchester, New Hampshire Directory, 1864

Dr. Warren’s Bilious Bitters (Burr & Perry) advertisement – Lewistown Evening Journal, July 2, 1869

Dr. Warren’s Bilious Bitters advertisement – Donahoe’s Magazine, 1882