Empty blue and white tin of Midol tablets for menstrual pain

Empty blue and white tin of Midol tablets, "For fast relief of functional menstrual pain and accompanying cramps, headache, "blues"", originally contained 12 tablets, Glenbrook Laboratories division of Stirling Drug Inc., New York, 1967-1969

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 1960s, when this tin was made, contained aspirin, cinnamedrine hydrochloride and caffeine. As well as treating menstrual cramps and headaches, the packaging claims Midol provides quick relief from “blues” and “pre-menstrual tension”.

This tin was originally donated, with earlier examples, to the Museum of Menstruation and Women’s Health (MUM) by a retired teacher, who wrote that she carried it and "I, along with others, refilled our tins from the bottle and that is probably what lead to their demise."