Most people would pay anything to be rid of the dreaded tooth-ache, so Mr. Sweeting and his chemist associates probably made good money from sales of his wonderful elixir.
“My curse on your envenom’d stang,
That shoots my tortur’d gums alang,
And thro’ my lugs gies mony a bang,
Wi’ gnawing vengeance;
Tearing my nerves wi’ bitter twang,
Like racking engines.”
The TOOTH-ACHE Cured by SWEETING’s TOOTH-ACHE ELIXIR.
“This troublesome complaint, which has hitherto been considered incurable except by extraction, is now no longer so: my Elixir has cured up to this time at least 100,000 people. I beg most distinctly to state it is no matter how long or violent the pain may have been, or how many teeth decayed; the Elixir will be found to stop decay, and be a permanent cure in every case of real tooth-ache, without the least danger to the most delicate constitution.”
Knaresborough, 1849. MARTIN SWEETING.
“No 10, Bow Church-yard, London, Jan. 2, 1850.
“To Mr. Sweeting, – Please send as usual 72 dozen Tooth-ache Elixir at 1s. 1 1/2d., and 12 dozen ditto at 2s. 9d.
“For W. SUTTON and Co., G. JONES.”
Prepared only by Martin Sweeting, chemist, Knaresboro’, who has appointed W. Sutton and Co., London, and Jas. Drury, Lincoln; Robson, Louth; Strawson, Market Rasen; Cartwright, Horncastle; Noble, Boston; Bowden, Gainsboro’; Skelton, Grimsby; Ridge, Grantham; Gibson, Kirton Lindsey; E. B. Robinson, Nottingham; Cressey, Brigg; F. Milns, Spalding; Creasey, Sleaford; Mountain, Alford; Leach, Wisbech; Thew, Lynn; and Hattersley, Barton; in bottles at 1s. 1 1/2d. and 2s. 9d. each. – N.B. Any medicine vender who has not got it, will procure it on being applied to.”
The Stamford Mercury, 5th April, 1850.