From The Daily Morning Astorian, July 17, 1884:

• A Good Practice: Dr. J. W. Lasley, physician, says he uses it in his practice, and recommends to suffering humanity the great pain-cure, St. Jacobs Oil, for all kinds of aches and pains.

Note: A liniment, St. Jacobs Oil was applied to the affected area. August Vogeler, who came to the U.S. from Germany, partnered with his son, Charles A. Vogeler, and John H. Winkleman, to create this concoction. 

By 1881, aggressive advertising for this product began appearing in newspapers across the country, proclaiming this as a remedy for afflictions such as gout, rheumatism, etc.

The advertising included a motto, “and all the world knows the cure is sure,” a popular brightly-colored calendar book, and their “fairy float” trading card (shown).

The Hood River History Museum says an 1894 medical journal reported the ingredients as being turpentine with traces of camphor (82%), ether (10%), alcohol (5%), carbolic acid (2%), capsicum (0.4%) and aconite (0.013%). 

Capsicum (chili pepper) is said by WebMD to be a good topical for arthritis pain; and Drugs.com says aconite is a good topical for “neuralgia, rheumatism and sciatica.” So cut them a break, their liniment was only 99.5987% quackery.