Fletcher's Castoria, now known as Fletcher's Laxative, is an oral syrup containing a stimulant laxative and ingredients to soothe the stomach. It is a product of The Mentholatum Company, Inc.

History

On May 12, 1868, the United States Patent Office granted a patent to Dr. Samuel Pitcher (1824-1907) of Barnstable, Massachusetts, for a cathartic composed of senna,

sodium bicarbonate Sodium bicarbonate (IUPAC name: sodium hydrogencarbonate), commonly known as baking soda or bicarbonate of soda, is a chemical compound with the formula NaHCO3. It is a salt composed of a sodium cation ( Na+) and a bicarbonate anion ( HCO3−) ...

, essence of

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, dandelion, sugar and water. The remedy was initially sold under the name Pitcher's Castoria. Over time the product formula has changed. In 1871,

The Centaur Company The Centaur Company, founded in 1871, owned and marketed proprietary medicines, notably, the stimulant laxative Fletcher's Castoria and the ointment Centaur Liniment. The company is historically significant in that it was a driving force during th ...

was formed by Charles Henry Fletcher to purchase the rights to and manufacture Pitcher's Castoria. It was renamed Fletcher's Castoria. Castoria was the subject of one of the most significant campaigns in early mass advertising. Castoria ads from the 1870s through 1920s are still visible today (or at least were between the 1970s and 2005) on the buildings of New York. See and for photos. At the opening of the

Brooklyn Bridge The Brooklyn Bridge is a hybrid cable-stayed/ suspension bridge in New York City, spanning the East River between the boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn. Opened on May 24, 1883, the Brooklyn Bridge was the first fixed crossing of the East River ...

in 1883, there were Castoria ads on virtually every blank wall in sight. They are quite visible in images of the opening of the bridge. There were two "Fletcher's Castoria"

B-17 Flying Fortress The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress is a four-engined heavy bomber developed in the 1930s for the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC). Relatively fast and high-flying for a bomber of its era, the B-17 was used primarily in the European Theater ...

bombers during World War II, both part of the 100th Bomber Group. The first was lost, but the crew survived. The second survived the war. Its pilot was William H. Fletcher (not a descendant of Charles Henry Fletcher), hence its name. The Centaur Company was acquired by Sterling Drug during the 1920s.1/4 interest acquired Feb 9, 1923 (New York Times, Feb 9, 1923, Page 24, col 1). It later acquired the remaining interest. In 1984, Sterling Drug sold Fletcher's Castoria to The Mentholatum Company. In 1988

Rohto Pharmaceutical Co. is a multinational fast-moving consumer goods and pharmaceutical corporation headquartered in Ikuno-ku, Osaka, Japan, with a presence in North America, Europe and Asia. The company is listed on the stock exchange, having posted steady increases ...

, a

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...

ese company, purchased Mentholatum, which continues to operate as a Rohto subsidiary.

Pharmacology

*Active laxative ingredient: senna, 33.3 mg/ml *Other ingredients: citric acid, flavor, glycerin,

methylparaben Methylparaben, also methyl paraben, one of the parabens, is a preservative with the chemical formula CH3(C6H4(OH)COO). It is the methyl ester of ''p''-hydroxybenzoic acid. Natural occurrences Methylparaben serves as a pheromone for a variety ...

propylparaben Propylparaben, the ''n''-propyl ester of ''p''-hydroxybenzoic acid, occurs as a natural substance found in many plants and some insects, although it is manufactured synthetically for use in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and foods. It is a member ...

, purified water, sodium benzoate,

sucrose Sucrose, a disaccharide, is a sugar composed of glucose and fructose subunits. It is produced naturally in plants and is the main constituent of white sugar. It has the molecular formula . For human consumption, sucrose is extracted and refined ...

*Non-alcoholic *Non-prescription Acts within 6–12 hours. There are no known drug interactions, although as a stimulant laxative it may affect how long a medicine remains in the digestive tract. It is best not to take senna within 1 to 2 hours of taking other medicines.

Availability

Once known as Fletcher's Castoria, the product has since been renamed Fletcher's Laxative for Kids. Although marketed as a children's laxative in the US, it is effective for adults. Once a staple of drug stores, Castoria is becoming difficult to find.

References

*{{cite web , url=http://us.mentholatum.com/fletchers-laxative-for-kids/ , title=Fletcher's Laxative product page , publisher=Mentholatum Co. Laxatives Patent medicines