Altoids
These “Curiously Strong” peppermint lozenges in the metal boxes were introduced in 19th century London not as breath fresheners, but as a remedy for indigestion. One 1920s advertisement run by the manufacturer, Smith & Company, made it clear that anyone venturing down to dinner without Altoids at the ready was courting gastric disaster: “Altoids act as an antidote to poisons in the stomach. One or two taken after meals will stop any poisonous fermentation.” Later ads drove home the point with jokes about the dismal indigestibility of British food.
Altoids were originally marketed through pharmacies, and to pump up the medicinal angle, Smith & Co. tacked the scientific-sounding “oid” suffix (from the Greek meaning “in the form of”) onto their product. (Apparently quite taken with the idea, Smith also at the time marketed remedies called Benoids, Zenoids, Cyphoids and Notoids.)
The “Alt” in Altoids is said by the manufacturer to derive from the Latin word for “change,” but a more logical source would be the Latin “altus,” or “high,” making “Altoid” equivalent to “the highest or best oid.” The suffix “oid” seems to be passé in pharmacological circles today, having been supplanted by the meaningless “ac” of Prozac and Zantac and the “il” of Elavil and Paxil.
Altoids are still made in Britain and were introduced in the U.S. in 1918, although their current popularity is due largely to the company’s quirky (”Nice Altoids!”) ad campaign launched in 1995. The distinctive Altoids tins, now issued as limited-series collectibles, were introduced in the 1920s. Prior to then, the mints were sold in small, presumably very fragrant, cardboard boxes.
Comments
Got something to say?