Americans bought tomato ketchup as medicine during the 1830s
A physician's claims that tomatoes could treat indigestion led to a commercial rivalry known as the Tomato Pill War.
In the 1830s, Americans purchased tomato ketchup and tomato extract pills as medicinal remedies, according to a report by the Times of India. The trend began after an American physician, Dr John Cook Bennett, claimed that tomatoes could treat digestive issues such as diarrhoea and indigestion.
Bennett suggested consuming tomatoes in various forms, including raw, cooked, or as catsup. This led entrepreneurs to manufacture pills made from tomato extracts to sell across the country.
By 1837, a Cleveland-based merchant named Archibald Miles was advertising a product called Dr Miles' Compound Extract of Tomato in American newspapers. Miles claimed his pills were tested over several years and could treat various illnesses.
A competitor, Yale-trained physician Dr Guy R. Phelps, later entered the market with his own Compound Tomato Pills. This rivalry resulted in a public dispute known as the Tomato Pill War by 1838.
The two manufacturers exchanged accusations in the media. Miles accused Phelps of selling an imitation, while Phelps questioned Miles' medical credentials and accused him of stealing his formula.
The craze eventually collapsed after the intense commercial battle between the two parties.
