[H]14.5cm __[L]5.9cm __[W]2.6cm
A complete glass pharmaceutical bottle with one hole in the front shoulder. The body is rectangular shaped and has recessed panels on all four sides. Within the front panel is embossed lettering that reads "VAN BUSKIRK'S // FRAGRANT // SOZODONT". The shoulders are sloped down and the neck is cylindrical with a single ring near its base. The bottle has a patent lip, which has slight chipping around the edge. The neck and lip portion of the bottle appear slightly slanted. It is aqua coloured glass and much of the surface appears iridescent. The bottle is created using a two-piece mold, which is evidenced from a faint raised seam line that runs down opposite corners of the bottle and diagonally across the shoulder and neck. The seam ends at the bottom of either corner and does not extend across the base, suggesting that the base was a seperate piece that the two-pieces were fused onto. There is ingrained dirt on the interior of the bottle, which reduces the clarity of the lettering and visibility through the glass. The base is very minimally concave on the exterior and thickens centrally to be more prominently concave on the interior.
Created by Russell Van Buskirk in 1859, Sozodont was an oral hygiene product that became widely popular until its demise in the beginning of the 20th century. The product claimed to clean, preserve, and save teeth, harden gums, and freshen breath, while advertising support from an array of health care and science professionals. However, as early as the 1880s, dentists were declaring falsities about the product, and its decline in popularity ensued as complaints about side effects increased. It was eventually recognized that the product contained harsh ingredients and was not safe for use, reportedly destroying enamel and yellowing teeth.
