Your Friendly Neighborhood Narcotics

Cocaine and heroin in over-the-counter medicines.

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, powerful narcotics were common ingredients in everyday products. Mrs. Winslow's Soothing Syrup for teething babies contained morphine, while Bayer marketed heroin as a non-addictive cough suppressant. Cocaine was famously in toothache drops and the original Coca-Cola formula, all before their destructive properties were regulated.