Made by Roche since 1898
F. Hoffmann-La Roche & Cie. AG Basel
Glass, paper, Bakelite (screw top), cardboard (box)
H 13.9 cm (bottle), H 14.8 cm (box)
Inv. 1981.231.f.
First launched in 1898, Sirolin cough syrup was the first remedy to be marketed by F. Hoffmann La Roche & Cie., a manufacturer of pharmaceuticals founded in Basel in 1896. Roche, as it was known right from the start, purchased some land in the nearby farming village of Grenzach in Germany and built a factory there in 1897. Sirolin was obtainable without prescription and contained the active ingredient Thiocol, which Roche itself had developed. Sirolin, which marked a breakthrough for the company, soon became a bestseller and remained on the market for over 60 years. The patient information claimed that Sirolin could be used to treat colds, coughs, catarrh, bronchitis and similar ailments. People in poor health were advised to take Sirolin regularly throughout the winter.
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