The oldest brand we carry at Mastel’s can be traced back to 1835. During that time, Constantine Hering, the Father of American Homeopathy, held a practice in Philadelphia and Hans Burch Gram, pioneer of homeopathic medicine, held a practice in New York. Dr Hering founded America’s first homeopathic medical college. Also in New York, William Radde, managed a group of stores that would eventually become Boericke & Tafel. According to Sylvain Cazalet, the shops “advertisement in Herring’s The Domestic Physician offered readers: "All works on Homeopathy, as well as pocket cases of homeopathic medicines, prepared by approved hands and very neatly arranged."
In 1949, cholera was fast spreading across Europe, as well as the Americas. Homeopathy was having better results treating the epidemic than traditional medicine and as a result “many orthodox physicians took up the practice of homeopathy. At the same time, many of the intelligentsia were attracted to homeopathy because of its scientific basis in experimental pharmacology.” (Cazalet).
By 1853 Boericke & Tafel started to manufacture homeopathic medicines and ten years later they purchased the Radde pharmacies in Philadelphia and New York and as the demand for homeopathic remedies increased they spread their pharmacies onto both coasts as well as the Midwest, including Minneapolis.
Boericke went on to publish a good deal of literature on the subject of homeopathy with Ernest Albert Schreck, as well as Edward Wheelock Runyon. “Around 1920, Boericke and Runyon began producing popular non-prescription home-remedy medicines under the tradename EOPA, the middle four alpha characters from the word "Hom-eopa-thy". EOPA eventually became a subsidiary of Boericke and Runyon – Eopa Company – and distributed medicines nationwide.” (Wikipedia).
Homeopathic remedies began to decline in their usage until the latter end of the 20th century, when an interest in safe, natural remedies began to gain in momentum. Today at Mastel’s, we carry a wide variety of homeopathic remedies for many common and uncommon ailments such as: smoking cessation, allergies, food poisoning, stage fright, the common cold, gas, and motion sickness. Boericke & Tafel, or “B & T” as we call it around the shop, is the oldest company we stock at Mastel’s. We carry their time-tested Arnica Gels, Cough and Bronchial Syrups, and the ultra-popular Ssssting Stop Soothing Gel, and more. Our well-versed staff is here to assist you with finding the right homeopathic remedies.