daffy's elixir daffy's elixir daffy's elixir (also sometimes known as daffey's elixir or daffye's elixir) is a name that has been used by several patent medicines over the years. it was originally designed for diseases of the stomach, but was later marketed as a universal cure. it remained a popular remedy in britain and later the united states of america throughout the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. an empty bottle of true daffy's elixir (centre) dicey and co. origins daffy's elixir was one of the most popular and frequently advertised patent medicines in britain during the 18th century. it is reputed to have been invented by clergyman thomas daffy, rector of redmile, leicestershire, in 1647. he named it elixir salutis (lit. elixir of health) and promoted it as a generic cure-all. a home recipe for the true daffy's elixir, from william augustus henderson modern domestic cookery and useful receipt book, new york, 1829. ingredients an early recipe for "true daffy" from 1700 lists the following ingredients: aniseed, brandy, cochineal, elecampane, fennel seed, jalap, manna, parsley seed, raisin, rhubarb, saffron, senna and spanish liquorice. chemical analysis has shown this to be a laxative made mostly from alcohol. other recipes include guiuacum wood chips, caraway, salt of tartar, and scammony. uses according to an early nineteenth century advertisement it was used for the following ailments: the stone in babies and children; convulsion fits; consumption and bad digestives; agues; piles; surfeits; fits of the mother and vapours from the spleen; green sickness; children's distempers, whether the worms, rickets, stones, convulsions, gripes, king's evil, joint evil or any other disorder proceeding from wind or crudities; gout and rheumatism; stone or gravel in the kidnies; cholic and griping of the bowels; the phthisic (both as cure and preventative provided always that the patient be moderate in drinking, have a care to prevent taking cold and keep a good diet; dropsy and scurvy. the frequent use of the medicine to treat colic, gripes or fret in horses was deplored in early veterinary manuals. subsequent history after daffy's death in 1680 the recipe was left to his daughter catherine, and his kinsmen anthony and daniel who were apothecaries in nottingham. anthony daffy moved to london in the 1690s and began to exploit the product issuing pamphlets such as directions for taking elixir salutis or, the famous purging cordial, known by the name of daffy's elixir salutis , . his widow elleanor daffy continued from about 1693 and (their daughter?) katharine from about 1707. during the early 18th century the product was advertised widely in the emerging national and local newspapers. the success attracted several counterfeit copies, using inferior alcohol rather than brandy. the medicine was later produced by william and cluer dicey & co. of bow church yard c.1775 who claimed the sole rights of manufacture of the true daffy's elixir, although the recipe was not subject to any patent. proprietorship was also then claimed by peter swinton of salisbury court and his son anthony daffy swinton who may have been descended from the inventor. dicey and co. and their successors marketed it in the united states of america. it then passed to dicey and sutton, and later to messrs w. sutton & co. of enfield middlesex who continuing to market it throughout the nineteenth century.