Empty blue tin of Midol tablets for menstrual pain, originally contained 12 tablets

Empty blue tin of Midol tablets for menstrual pain, originally contained 12 tablets, distributed by the Centaur-Caldwell Division of Stirling Drug Inc., New York, 1948-1958

Midol is a brand of analgesic medication available over-the-counter in North America for alleviation of period pain and other symptoms associate with menstruation, including bloating, water retention and tiredness. Launched in 1911, the tablets were initially marketed as a narcotic-free treatment for headaches and toothache. Later it was sold as a remedy for hiccups, and by the late 1930s was being targeted specifically at women for the relief of menstrual pain.

The formula in the 1950s, when this tin was likely produced, contained acetophenetidin, aspirin, cinnamylephedrine and caffeine. As well as treating menstrual cramps and headaches, ads from this era claimed Midol “chases the “blues””. They often showed women transformed from clutching their heads in apparent misery to participating in activities like dancing and bowling, using straplines such as “Betty’s gay with Midol”.