Had you been a resident of or visitor to New York City in the winter of 1854-1855, you might have seen this handbill pasted on a wall or had it thrust into your hands by a distributor on the street:

The
Great Manitou Liniment.
The Produce of a
Mineral Spring in the Mormon Country
near the
Valley of the Great Salt Lake.
—
To the Brethren and the Public.

This product of Nature has long been known among the roving tribes of Indians in Utah and New Mexico, and is believed to be the gift of the GREAT MANITOU to the Red men for the cure of all diseases to which flesh is heir.

It has lately been extensively used among the Saints as an external application, with most wonderful effects. When thus used it penetrates into the system, thoroughly cleansing the Fibres and Blood of all impurities, and imparting new vigor and life to the sick, the suffering, the lame and the afflicted.

For all forms of Rheumatic Diseases, for Lumbago and Diseases of the Kidneys, Throat and Neck, for Stiffness and Diseases of the Joints and Bones, for Sprains, and Swellings and for all Pains and Internal Inflammations, it is found to be an infallible cure.

A desire that our land may be known and its blessings shared by all, has induced us at great expense to ourselves, to authorize some friends to export it into the States; and at the most trifling cost to the public we leave it to their trial and judgment, believing that a discerning people will discriminate between articles which are spurious or worthless, and one on which Nature’s-self has fixed the signet of Truth.

Yours in love,

BRIGHAM YOUNG,
VINCENTE ARAGO, M.D.

Utah, May 11th, 1854.

For sale at the Drug Stores generally.

Orders Directed to Willis & Co., Agents, No. 13 Bible House, Astor Place.

John Taylor was then living in New York, directing the labors of missionaries, publishing a newspaper to acquaint the United States with Mormon interests, and planning for and assisting the heavy Mormon immigration of those years. When someone passed him a copy of the advertisement, the apostle was not amused.

“We have had all kinds of religious quacks and counterfeits,” he said, “but this is the first that we have seen of a medical quack counterfeit under the head of Mormonism, and is one of the most barefaced impudent things that we have seen.”

He knew nothing about “this universal panacea.” He had never heard of its being used, by either Mormon or Indian, although he had left Utah only the preceding September. The Utes’ god was named Shinob, while the Algonquian Manitou was unknown in the west.

“We don’t believe that Brigham Young ever signed his name to such a document,” and he challenged the snake oil peddler to bring the original of the document supposedly signed by Brigham Young for examination. “We believe it all an imposition; but if Mr. Arago, M.D., will prove to the contrary, we will contradict this assertion.”

So far as I have been able to determine, Dr. Arago never came forth, and his magic elixir soon gave way to the next patent medicine of the times.