Popular throughout the United Kingdom from the mid-1880’s until the early part of the 20th century Mrs. Winslow’s Soothing Syrup was a patent medicine sold as something of a cure-all for “fussy babies”. In addition to easing teething pains it was recommended for wind and colic, diarrhoea and childhood fevers and was extensively advertised throughout the English speaking world.

It was undeniably effective in calming sickly infants with children aged 3 months given half a teaspoon up to 4 times a day while for children aged six months the dose was increased to a teaspoon - but there was a problem. The main ingredient of the Syrup was morphine and each teaspoonful contained 11 milligrams which is enough to kill a child – to put it in perspective an adult recovering from surgery will receive between 10 and 20 milligrams for pain relief!

It is believed thousands of children died as a result of being given Mrs. Winslow’s Soothing Syrup and in 1911 the American Medical Association denounced it (and many other similar products) but despite this it continued to be sold until the 1930’s.