What does one use a syrup fig for?

[Dave Dubé]

I found and purchased the piece of paper that's pictured here. I bought it because the items purchased (from a drug company no less) appeared very familiar to me. Does anybody know what the syrup fig would be used for? And when was the last time someone purchased 25 pounds of Yellow Ochre for 88 cents?

[Danny Baronian]

Google it - a natural laxative.

It's the only thing on the list that makes sense coming from a wholesale druggist, and I'd guess unrelated to the other items.

Danny

[Dave Dubé]

Danny,

To me, it's the only thing on the list that doesn't make sense, but perhaps C.W. Rank also ran the pharmacy in Virginia City. The other three items are related to the sign trade, and I haven't done the research at the Historical Society yet to determine who the sign artist was in Virginia City at the time. I thought perhaps one of you folks knew more than I did about laying gold, and that a drop of fig syrup was a secret ingredient.

[Kelly Thorson]

The price of the figs at .32 ea seems strangely out of proportion to 1lb of black smalts at .10/lb, and what does $4 per 5% mean?
Never mind I just figured that part out 6 doz @$4/doz=$24-5%=$22.80.
Sounds like a real expensive remedy....

[Robare M. Novou]

Saw this on a website for fading wall signs.

http://www.frankjump.com

syrup of figs.jpg (67.96 KiB) Viewed 4071 times

RMN

[Dave Dubé]

You folks have convinced me!!! We had a constipated sign artist in Virginia City in July of 1902.