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Zam-Buk is a patent medicine which was produced by the Zam-Buk Company of Leeds, England, founded by Charles Edward Fulford. It was first sold by his Bile Beans company in 1902,[1] as a herbal balm and antiseptic ointment; the use of a complementary Zam-Buk soap was recommended to augment the treatment. The ointment was advertised as being effective against a wide range of conditions, including cuts, bruises, sprains, ulcers, bleeding piles and even colds and toothache. It could also be used as an embrocation by rubbing it into the muscles of the back, legs or feet.[2]

The source of the name is uncertain, but a link to South Africa has been suggested. It remains very widely popular in South Africa.[3] The brand name was at one time used to refer to ambulance-men and first aiders at rugby league matches in Australia and New Zealand.[4]

The product is still manufactured today, often by Bayer, who now owns the trade mark[5] in some, but not all, countries. It is available in Southern Africa, Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand.

Formulation

In the early 20th century, it was reported that the formulation comprised 66% paraffin wax, 20% pale resin (colophony), and 14% eucalyptus oil, with small amounts of other ingredients.[2] More recently, the composition eucalyptus oil, 1.8% camphor, 0.5% thyme oil, and 0.65% sassafras oil. The English and Thai varieties do not contain sassafras oil.[6] A 1908 report published in The British Medical Journal estimated that the cost of ingredients for a standard 0.6-ounce (17 g) box was one farthing, yet its retail price was 1s 1½ d.[2]

Sports use

Widely used in earlier times as an all-round antiseptic and healing ointment, particularly with rugby players worldwide.[7]

Branding and production

When Radio Luxembourg started longwave commercial radio broadcasts in English in 1933, its first advertisers were Fulford's Zam-Buk and Bile Beans.[8]

The Zam-Buk brand and trademark were eventually acquired by Fisons, but production ceased in 1994 after the business was sold to Rhone-Poulenc; the product was revived in the United Kingdom by Rose & Co. in 1996.[9] After the original trademarks expired, Rose & Co successfully resisted a new application by a third party to register Zam-Buk as a trademark in 2008.[10] As of 2015, the trademark for Zam-Buk is registered to Bayer Consumer Care AG in Australia, Canada and the United States.[11][12][13]. Zam Buk is manufactured for Bayer in Thailand by Interthai Pharmaceutical Manufacturing and is distributed in Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia and South Africa.

In Leeds, the tin boxes used for Zam-buk were printed in Hunslet by Charles Lightowler, at their Hunslet Printing Sheds on Jack Lane. They also printed the Peps and Bile Beans tins, which were delivered by horse and cart to the Fulford's factory on Carlton Hill, off Woodhouse Lane.[14]

References

Citations

  1. ↑ "A cure for pimples", Dundee Evening Post, p. 6, 15 April 1902 – via British Newspaper Archive
  2. 1 2 3 "The Composition of Certain Secret Remedies", The British Medical Journal, 1 (2468): 942–944, 18 April 1908, doi:10.1136/bmj.1.2468.942, JSTOR 25277285, S2CID 8364985
  3. ↑ [A South African is going viral for hilariously showing how difficult Zam-Buck is to open https://www.goodthingsguy.com/fun/opening-zam-buk/]
  4. ↑ Fagan, Sean (12 July 2007), "Tracking Down The Zam-Buk", RL1908.com, archived from the original on 6 November 2010, retrieved 22 December 2009
  5. ↑ "ZAM-BUK Trademark of BAYER CONSUMER CARE AG - Registration Number 0069876 - Serial Number 71033504 :: Justia Trademarks".
  6. ↑ Bartram (2013), Zam-Buk
  7. ↑ pages 68-69, Rugger Shorts: Reflections on the amateur game,(2017) John Dann, ISBN 978-1-78456-531-2
  8. ↑ Watson & Hill (2012), p. 47
  9. ↑ "The Story of Zam-Buk", Rose & Co, retrieved 20 February 2015
  10. ↑ "Decision on opposition to trade mark application" (PDF). Intellectual Property Office. 21 October 2008. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
  11. ↑ "Trade Mark : 35709", Australian Trade Marks Register, retrieved 16 May 2015
  12. ↑ "File 0050537", Canadian Trade Marks Registry, retrieved 16 May 2015
  13. ↑ "US serial number: 71033504", USPTO, retrieved 16 May 2015
  14. ↑ B Barber, Foreman printer at Lightowler's 'Memories'

Bibliography

Look up Zam-buk in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
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