Can You Still Buy Bell Drops? A Look at the History and Availability of This Controversial Veterinary Medicine

Bell Drops, also known as Dr. Bell’s Veterinary Wonder Medicine, were once a popular though controversial treatment used by farmers, ranchers, and equestrians to treat livestock and horses. This remedy has a long history dating back to the late 1800s, though it is no longer widely available today. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at what exactly Bell Drops were, their questionable ingredients, rise in popularity, demise, and whether you can still purchase this vintage veterinary cure-all.

A “Miracle Cure” for Livestock and Horses

Bell Drops were first concocted in the late 19th century by a Canadian veterinarian named Dr. George W. Bell. Dr. Bell’s Veterinary Wonder Medicine claimed to be a “cure-all” for many common animal ailments, particularly colic, fever inflammation, coughs chills, and digestive issues.

This foul-tasting liquid medicine quickly gained a reputation among farmers, ranchers, and equestrians as something of a “miracle cure” that could rapidly revive sick livestock and horses, often snatching deathbound animals from the brink.

Devoted users swore by Bell Drops, claiming the medicine could “cure or kill” by violently stimulating the animal’s heart, nerves, and muscles. Though harsh, many felt the medicine was better than losing valuable livestock or horses. The product was especially popular for treating downed horses unable to stand or suffering from colic. Just a few drops on the tongue could allegedly get horses back on their feet.

Questionable and Dangerous Ingredients

Despite countless anecdotal accounts of Bell Drops reviving very ill animals the medicine was not without controversy. Analyses found the main active ingredients were extracts of the poisonous plants belladonna nux vomica, and aconite.

Belladonna, also called deadly nightshade, is a highly toxic plant containing tropane alkaloids like atropine and scopolamine. At high doses, belladonna can cause delirium, hallucinations, and even death in humans and animals.

Nux vomica comes from the seeds of the Strychnos nux-vomica tree native to India and contains strychnine, a deadly poison known for causing violent muscle spasms and convulsions at high doses.

Finally, aconite is extracted from the monkshood plant, which also goes by the ominous name “wolf’s bane.” This too is a potent toxin, especially to the heart. Needless to say, the ingredients in Bell Drops were extremely dangerous at high doses!

Rise in Popularity and Distribution Issues

Despite the risky ingredients, Dr. Bell’s Wonder Medicine grew very popular with ranchers, farmers, and equestrians during the late 1800s and early 1900s. At one point, over 500,000 livestock owners in the U.S. and Canada were using Bell Drops and consuming around 2.5 million bottles per year!

To meet demand, Dr. Bell produced and distributed the medicine out of Kingston, Ontario to great success. After his death, his son took over the business which continued thriving under the name Dr. Bell’s Wonder Medicine Company.

Given the localized production in Canada, U.S. consumers sometimes smuggled Bell Drops over the border to avoid customs seizing or taxing the medicine. Distribution to the western U.S. also proved challenging, making Bell Drops prized and scarce in places like Texas, Wyoming, and Colorado that had high demand.

FDA Crackdown and Decline

In the 1930s, Bell Drops caught the attention of the newly formed FDA in the United States. The FDA accused the Dr. Bell’s company of mislabeling their medicine, as analysis showed the product contained 63-65% alcohol, significantly higher than the labeled 40%.

This led to legal trouble and seizures of Bell Drops by customs agents, negatively impacting availability in the U.S. At the same time, the company’s reputation suffered as regulators and medical professionals increasingly viewed their strong claims and potentially dangerous ingredients with skepticism.

By the 1950s, the once-popular Bell Drops had faded into obscurity, regarded as an ineffective and risky relic of the past. Stricter regulation of medications for livestock and horses helped facilitate the decline.

Can You Still Buy Bell Drops Today?

So can you still purchase the original Bell Drops / Dr. Bell’s Veterinary Wonder Medicine today? In short – no. The original product and Dr. Bell’s company are long gone. Production and sales ended decades ago.

However, some alternative products with similar ingredients are still sold under the Bell Drops name. These are intended for pet owners and equestrians, not large livestock. Most contain a mixture of the herbs belladonna, nux vomica, and aconite like the original.

For example, the company Washington Homeopathic Products offers Bell Drop pellets. But with the concerns over toxicity and lack of evidence for efficacy, these knock-offs are also controversial and most veterinary professionals do not recommend them.

Some people also try to make homemade Bell Drops, but this is inadvisable given the toxicity risks involved with using ingredients like belladonna.

While the original Bell Drops are no longer sold, some loyalists still have old bottles stashed away, clinging to the hope that just a few drops on the tongue can cure their sick horses and livestock. However, it is best to let this risky and unproven remedy fade into history rather than tempting fate with a few drops of Dr. Bell’s. Consult your vet instead for modern, safer treatment options.

The Takeaway

After falling out of favor with regulators and medical professionals, Bell Drops disappeared from the market by the 1950s. While some alternative Bell Drops products exist today, they are also controversial and not recommended by vets. So unfortunately, the original Dr. Bell’s Veterinary Wonder Medicine containing this risky formulation is no longer available for purchase.

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