I received a comment from Susan A. to my post about testing out an old jar of No. 3 Full Strength Salamanca Herb Salve on my poison ivy rash / blisters this past summer. Susan A. requested I send her the list of ingredients just as they are on the label. So here goes – exactly as listed on the label
Active Ingredients: Beth Root, Indigo, Wormwood, steeped in a pure petrolatum base.
The rest of the label reads:
No. 3 Full Strength Salamanca Herb Salve
Reg. Trade Name – U.S. Patent Office – Wash., D.C.
All Purpose Salve
For External use Only
Manufactured by H. F. Freeman
Owner
545 Center St.
Salamanca, NY 14779
Directions
Apply heavy coat on hard cloth. Change daily.
“Temporary relief of minor skin irritations.”
Thin layer as you improve.
1 3/4 ounces or over $2.00
I’ve heard some of the stores around the Salamanca area carry the salve – I haven’t checked it out myself. But if anyone knows for sure whether they do, please let us know! This is great stuff.
Susan A. – if you make this, please share with me the latin names of the herbs you end up using and how you end up making it!
And if you haven’t already, please check out Laura’s January 6th Good Planets post! You’ll see some gorgeous photos there, and a photo I submitted. And for now, here’s a view of Lake Ontario I took yesterday looking northeast. More on the new birds I found later!
Jan 08, 2007 @ 08:27:22
Pam,
I’ve never had poison ivy but I’ll try to remember where I saw the salve.
I am so happy to see Lake Ontario! More later?
Jan 08, 2007 @ 08:34:54
Mary! You’ve seen the salve??? That would be awesome if you could remember! This stuff is powerful.
Oh yes, more later!
Jan 08, 2007 @ 22:45:54
It is funny how I have lived in Salamanca all my life and never heard of the stuff! What a small world, now I need to check this stuff out! Thanks for letting me know!
May 17, 2010 @ 19:32:04
Hi, I am 71 years old and at the age of about 12 I had carbuncles, one had to be lanced (still have the scar on my knee) my Great Aunt bought over a jar of Salmanca Herrb Salve and I used it on seven other boils that summer and it worked wonderful. Never needed Doctor, We always had a jar at my Grandmother’s. Recently we talked about skin eruptions and I told them about this salve, it would be wonderful to find it. I remember as a 12 year old writing the order and enclosing two dollars I think and in a week or so we would receive it. Would love to find some.
Jan 08, 2007 @ 23:40:45
Anything that helps PI would be welcome in this house.
Come this summer, I will be Googling that salve.
Birds??????? I wanna see birds!!!!!!!
Jan 09, 2007 @ 08:46:32
Mon@rch – if you can find it in a store in Salamanca, that would be awesome! I don’t know when the company went out of business, or why. Probably because a jar lasts forever! I rec’d this jar when I was studying herbs – the guy said it was really good for diaper rash or any skin problem. I was leery about using it this past summer since it’s so old – but it was really cool to see it’s action on the poison ivy blisters. I am making a big assumption that it is a Native American recipe, but I haven’t been able to find it yet – not even in my Iroquois Medicinal Botany book or other Native American herbal books. So please let me know!!
Susan – I’ll post it here if anyone finds that it is still being made! Bewds are the next post!! And I even have more bewds after that!
Jan 09, 2007 @ 22:23:33
Okey Dokey! Will look into it and see if my parents know the person!
Jan 09, 2007 @ 22:37:58
Thanks Mon@rch!
Jan 25, 2007 @ 03:43:26
Hello!
I work with Pharmacy Innovations in Jamestown, which isn’t too far from Salamanca… We actually bought the old #3 recp. and make it now…
Here is the website!
http://www.pharmacyinnovations.net
If you have any questions, you can email me at melissa@pharmacyinnovations.net
Thanks!
Melissa
Aug 05, 2009 @ 06:57:37
Just so you know, I’ve always used it as a drawing salve for splinters and minor infections.
In fact, this past week, it has removed an ingrown nail on my thumb that became infected.
Thank you for the info on Poison ivy. I will try that on my Poison oak the next time I come in contact with it.
When we lived in the Salamanca area we could only get the salve on the black market and by recommended word of mouth.
I am very grateful to find that it is sold on line for my small jar is almost out.
Dec 03, 2009 @ 17:01:50
The salve included a formula of a Seneca medicine man by the name of Dwight Jimerson. The salve was prominent during the 20s-30s-40s. The story goes President Coolidge had a son who was ill from blood poisoning and conventional medicine failed to make him better. The salve was sent for but reached D.C. too late.
Jimerson was well versed in the medicines of the earth and the story goes, Jimerson took his secrets with him to the grave. The original salve now would be 70 some years old.
The salve was still marketed after Jimerson passed on but its potentcy was diminished by lacking of the secrets.
Jun 03, 2010 @ 11:19:15
My father was from Salamanca. He always kept a jar of the (original) salve around. It would draw a splinter onto a bandaid overnight. Experience talking!
I recently found that it was once again avaiable… rushed out and paid $10 for a really small jar! No problem I thought, this stuff is great… worth every penny. Not… It won’t draw like the original and does no better than other slaves for minor skin ailments.
The current Salamanca slave is not the same stuff I grew up with. I can still remember the smell of the original and the new stuff has no resemblance.
Jul 29, 2010 @ 13:28:22
My father took us to Mr. Freeman’s home to help him bottle up the salve. Boy did it smell bad, but we were able to get an entire case just for helping. That was over 45 years ago and I still have a jar that I guard. I was raised on this formula and as a kid we never went to the Dr. for cuts or burns. I am so happy that the formula lives on and will be ordering some soon. Have already called my brothers and sisters and they to will be ordering.
Aug 24, 2010 @ 10:26:12
Any information on the Salamanca herb salve would be greatly appreciated, thank you,Roger O. Klein,56 Strawrown rd.West Nyack,N.T.10994
May 24, 2011 @ 18:51:22
I grew up with that salve. My Mom was part Seneca and we always had a jar of it in the medicine cabinet. We used it for everything from bites to boils to blisters and yes for oak, some rashs from poison ivy and poison oak. Would like to find where it can be got again. If anyone knows please send the address so we can order it. Send it by E-mail or if you are on facebook I am under Rosemary Hatch-Fappas.
Jun 09, 2011 @ 18:08:46
I have an old jar of #3, about 30 years old, and used it 2 days ago to draw on an infection. It is well on it’s way to healing. As I remember, the #3 is not as strong is it once was. It smells about as strong as the old #1.
Jun 10, 2011 @ 16:37:04
I have an old jar of #3, about 45 years old, and used it 2 days ago to draw on an infection. It is well on it’s way to healing. As I recall, it was originally, “Champlin Salve”, and came in (3) different strengths. Drawing, medium and healing. The patent was sold, and it appeared on the market, one strengh, #3. This jar of #3 that I have, smells about as strong as the, “healing strength.” Still good stuff though.
Jun 10, 2011 @ 16:37:36
I have an old jar of #3, about 45 years old, and used it 2 days ago to draw on an infection. It is well on it’s way to healing. As I recall, it was originally, “Champlin Salve”, and came in (3) different strengths. Drawing, medium and healing. The patent was sold, and it appeared on the market, one strength, #3. This jar of #3 that I have, smells about as strong as the, “healing strength.” Still good stuff though.
Feb 26, 2012 @ 10:27:05
would like to order the save, what is the address
Jun 04, 2012 @ 23:45:25
Apparently Pharmacy Innovations makes it now. Here’s the url: http://pharmacyinnovations.net/content/view/169/107/
May 17, 2013 @ 13:43:23
About 50 years ago, I helped collect herbs that were used in the original Champlin Salve. I still can remember collecting baskets of wild mint from along Little Valley Creek.
May 18, 2013 @ 15:02:53
I have a small, white plastic can here with “GAYANOSE:’s Seneca Indian Herbal Salve (Original Formula)”. This works on rashes and Poison Ivy. We got it at one of our travels and an American Indian Crafts shop. Wife wants more. Anyone knows where we can get hold of some?