Dr. Ransom's King of the Blood

Why would I care about this old medicine? Because my great-great grandmother took it. 

… the history of D. Ransom Son, and Co., of Buffalo, New York. They thrived from about the mid-1860s to about 1941. They mainly sold patent medicines: “Anderson’s Dermador,” “Dr. J. R. Miller’s Universal Magnetic Balm,” “Dr. A. Trask’s Magnetic Ointment,” and “Dr. J. C. Tilton’s Indian Balm Pills.” They appear to have been the creator of “Dr. Ransom’s King of the Blood,” familiarly known as “K.B.”

TRASK’S MAGNETIC OINTMENT CIRCA 1855

David Ransom may well have begun his career in Boston in the firm of Ransom and Stevens doing business on Washington St.  That firm produced. Ransom & Stevens Dandelion and Tomato Panacea, The product was advertised 1843- 1845.   Wilson in his book on 19th Century Medicine in Glass refers to Ranson & Stevens in Buffalo. I am speculating, but it seems to me that for Ransom to purchase the name brands he was famous for, none of which he invented,  he must have had either money or backing and must have had some background in the business to be so successful.  Two of the three bottles you list above, the Trask’s Magnetic Ointment, and the Anderson’s Dermadore come pontiled, indicating they were being produced before 1859, which is before Ransom shows up in the Buffalo directories.  Miller’s Magnetic began about 1859, but to my knowledge does not come pontiled, but has a smooth base. The first listing I found for David Ransom was 1864 in Buffalo.  An article in the Druggist Circular (about 1894-5)  suggested that David Ransom had died around the late 1880s.  His son, David L. Ranson, carried on the business after his death, but in the same article it indicated that the son died sometime shortly after his father and at a young age (30s or early 40s) at his mother’s house. Other family members carried on the business. I found references to the business as late as 1948.