Swastika in american consumer products and pharmaceutical industry
I have been continuously posting articles to depict the deep significance and auspiciousness of swastika all across the world. In my last article, we saw the use of swastika in American food industry. In this article, we will see the use of swastika in America medicine and consumer products industry.
Use of swastika by J.p. Rawley
Is the swastika good enough to cure piles? J.p. Rawley believed so. Based in New York, J.p Rawley and company distributed antiseptic creams and lubricant for burns, cut and bruises, piles etc. Founded in the early nineteenth century, this company widely used swastika shaped borders on the tin container of antiseptic creams and lubricants. This company also used good luck symbol swastika in their advertisements and banners.
J.p Rawly pile cream with swastika emblem
Below is another antiseptic deodorant cream with swastika emblem. Such antiseptic cream depicts the widely popular good luck notion of swastika. 
Use of swastika by Swastika Drug Company
Named after the little town of swastika in Ontario, Canada, Swastika Drug Company was founded by Dr. Edis. Founded in 1922, swastika Drug Company used swastika symbol in all its products. Before and after World War II, multiple attempts were made to change the name of swastika town and all the companies situated within, having their association with swastika name or with swastika symbol. Despite negative connotations, this little town and all the companies resisted the change of their beloved swastika. On the contrary, they came up with various banner and slogans supporting the cause of their resistance. Swastika drug company not only continued to use swastika symbol in its products but also added a slogan “Hitler be damned, this is our sign since 1922” or “Hitler be damned, this is our sign since 6000 years Before Christ!”
Swastika Drug Company
Use of swastika by Coombs Drug Company
Coombs Drug Company was founded in the early nineteenth century at Federation of Labor Building, Salt Lake City, Utah. This company used swastika symbol in its medicinal bottles. Below is one of such 6 feet tall glass bottle with clearly visible embedded swastika. Many such antique glasses with swastika symbol can be purchased at auction sites including ebay.com.
Bottle of Coombs Drug Company
Use of swastika by Dr.Edwards
Mott Edwards, a doctor sold his first olive tablets in 1909. This Olive tablets were manufactured by Olive Tablet Company building situated at 29 E. 5th Ave, southern Ohio. The story behind his tablet is as follows:
American diet wasn’t good in those times and was composed mostly of high fat meat and low fiber meals. Due to this, many American suffered from headaches, failing eyesight, liver failure, pimples, cholera, bad breath, arthritis, typhus, lupus, cancer, heart disease, as well as death. Born in 1865, Mott Edwards completed his education from Miami Medical College in Cincinnati. After his graduation in 1895, he returned to Southern Ohio where he encountered many cases of constipation and auto-intoxication. Treatments available to treat these problems were painful, violent and poisonous because of which the patients would lose hair, jaws, teeth, become paralyzed, or die. Edward decided for an alternative treatment and compounded a pill made of olive oil for constipation and auto-intoxication. He sold his first tablet in 1909 and used swastika as a good luck in curing diseases. After Edward death, his son took over the charge of the company. On nearing retirement, he sold the company to Plough, a consumer product giant. Plough dropped the production of Dr.Edward Olive Tablets and sold it to Oakhurst, a local firm that specialized in traditional remedies. Dr Edwards tablet has been revised and is still available today in a reformulated version.
Olive tablets of Dr.Edwards
Use of swastika by Henry Sears & Company
Henry Sears & Company manufactured blades and shaving brush with swastika emblem. Founded in 1865 at Rockford, illnios, this company was named as Henry sears and sons in 1883. This company manufactured blades in a factory located at Middlebury, Connecticut. This factory was closed in 1881 and moved to Chicago in 1885. This company was later sold to Farwell-Ozmun-Kirk & Company of St.Paul, Minnesota." This razor hone is very rare and is on sale in ebay and other auction sites.
Swastika razor hone
Use of swastika by New York club
This is the shaving brush manufactured by New York club in the early nineteenth century. Though much is not known about this shaving brush, dozens of such shaving brush manufactured by New York club is for sale on ebay. According to the seller, swastika emblem was added to this shaving brush to export it in various parts of the world specially Europe where the swastika symbol was considered auspicious. Beside the shaving brush manufactured by New York club, many similar vintage US companies widely used swastika in their products and goods to add its significance.
Swastika shaving brush
Use of swastika by Teofani cigarette factory
Teofani cigarette factory was founded in 1913 in Brixton, South London by Louis rothman and markus weinburg. This company was named after town of Yenidje Thrace, a place where high quality oriental tobacco was cultivated. This company also imported quality tobaccos from agricultural fields of other countries like the Virginia of United States. Below cigarette is supposed to be built in Virginia using tobacco of local fields. This company used swastika, an ancient symbol sacred to both nation, as decorative borders in covers of cigarette packets. Following a dispute in business strategy, this company was closed in 1916. Dispute was regarding manufacturing practices like women making and packing cigarettes.
Swastika cigarette
Use of swastika in cigarette ash tray
After World War I, in 1920 45th infantry division was created from the four states of Colorado, Arizona, Oklahoma and New Mexico. A red square with a yellow swastika became the symbol of 45th infantry division. Headquartered in okhalama city, this division believed swastika as an auspicious symbol and used it in good luck coins, medals, uniforms and even in cigarette ash tray. This division was nicknamed as thunderbird after the eagle like Native American god of thunder, lightning and rain. After the association of swastika with German Nazi party, swastika was replaced by this eagle shaped bird with outstretched wings as the infantry symbol. This division was known for its bravery and contribution in four wars including world war II.
First two images show bonze ash tray with swastika symbol while he last one shows the swastika in high quality cigar box while the third one show their purity symbol in cigar boxes.
Use of swastika by Peoria brewery companies
Peoria Corporation is named after the Peoria city on the banks of river Illinois. This city was known for production of alcohol which led to the opening of many brewery & distillery firms and hence, contributed greatly to the American treasury. Most of the companies either used swastika symbol or swastika title as their brand name. This city produced as much as 1 million barrels of beer every year. Alcohol production was banned in 1920 to 1933 because of rise in criminal activity in the surrounding region. During prohibition, many of the brewery company converted their brewery to produce non alcoholic products like soft drinks.
Swastika brand, Peoria, Illinois
Use of swastika in handbags and pouches
Swastika was widely used in clothes, handbags, pouches, purses etc for decoration and good luck symbol. Below is one of such tobacco pouch with Native American swastika kept at museum of Pennsylvania.
Delaware tobacco pouch
Conclusion
This article is intended to reclaim the lost significance and importance of humanity earliest symbol ‘Swastika’. Swastika is derived from the Sanskrit word “svastika”- "su" meaning "good," "asti" meaning "to be," and "ka" as a suffix. Swastika signifies the symbol of good luck, prosperity, peace and fortune. After its association with German nazi’s, this ancient symbol has faced a sad transition from a good luck symbol to symbol of evil and adversity. Swastika is still widely used as a good luck symbol in Asian countries like India, China, Japan, Korea, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia etc. This symbol has a great spiritual meaning and significance in Hinduism and its derived religions like Buddhism and Jainism.
I will end up with a picture of a garden landscaped in the form of a beautiful swastika
Image courtesy: <https://svasticross.blogspot.in>