Artifact of the Week: Bromo-Seltzer Bottle

Archaeologists recovered this Bromo-Seltzer bottle from Downtown San Diego. The site housed a working class population during the late Victorian period (c.1880-1915).

Bromo-Seltzer was an extremely popular drug, in the form of a powder, introduced circa 1891. This concoction was heavily promoted as a remedy for “sick headache,” upset stomach, headache, hangover, and other maladies.  The exact formula varied somewhat in the earlier years, with the main ingredient (originally) being sodium bromide.

Date: Post-Contact Period (300 ya – present)
Material Class: Glass

Want to learn more? Visit the exhibit Block 112: The Untold Story of San Diego’s Working Class in the 1800s currently on view at the Center.