H.H. (Hulbert Harrington) Warner was the founder and president of the Warner's Safe Kidney and Liver Cure in Rochester, N.Y. Prior to founding his world famous company, Warner was a salesman selling fire proof safes for the Mosler / Bahmann & Co. Supposedly, illness ended that career, but it was also said the illness was Bright's Disease, which is unlikely since acute Bright's was incurable at the time and often fatal. What is known was that Warner was a millionaire by the time he quit selling safes for a living.

In late 1870's Warner, believing he was suffering from Bright's Disease, sought out a remedy in Dr. Craig's Kidney Cure. When the illness passed, he became convinced that the medicinal remedy he had tired was responsible for saving his life, he bought the formula from Dr. Craig and began to mass market the product. He sold his first batch locally and drawing on his knowledge for the risk and disdain of "Patent Medicines" of the time, trademarked the now famous embossed image of a safe on all his bottles declaring the cure "Safe" for consumption.

By 1881, his company had manufacturers in Toronto, Ca. London, England as well as Rochester, N.Y. His product was sold coast to coast and, throughout the United States, Canada, England and South America. By 1883, H.H. Warner was as common a house hold name as George Eastman of Eastman Kodak fame, his products were more prevalent and available in nearly every store in America and Canada. It is rumored that he produced 10,000 gallons of his Kidney and Liver Cure a day from his Rochester facility alone.

He sold his interest in the company in 1890's to a consortium in England for 3 million dollars only to take possession of the company again a few short years later for non-payment of the purchase note. Warner went on to establish production of his product in Melbourne, AU, Frankfurt, GR, Dunedin, NZ and Pressburg, HU. There are rumors that he had begun an operation to service the South American market but so far there is no evidence to support these claims.

What is known is that H.H. Warner developed the first truly world market company, his products were sold world wide for over 30 years. His influence in the United States Political scene influenced where railroad lines were established. He innovated and mastered the News Article advertisement (the first infomercial), distributed 10's of thousands of almanacs (many of which are still collected today), souvenir maps, a line of medicinal products that heralded they could cure diabetes, rheumatism, aliments of the kidney and liver, hair loss (Benton's Hair Grower), a bitters product a tonic, a line of so called "old time" Log Cabin Cures for the nerves, scalp and other maladies. His products were purchased widely and made his remedies the most popular in the world for over 30 years.

Warner also sponsored several Nation wide astrological contests, offering rewards for the discovery of celestial objects. He established the first observatory in Rochester, had a telescope made for the facility, then hired Lewis Swift (co-discoverer of the Swift-Tuttle comet) to run the facility. Dr. Swift (there is some question if Swift was actually a Doctor or not) finally absconded with the telescope purchased by Warner and he fled to California to the University of San Jose where the telescope is still in use to this day.

There is little doubt that Warner's ability to market his product accounts for his great success. He missed few opportunities to pitch his Safe Remedies to the public and to cloak them with the air of legitimacy. Perhaps one of his successful efforts in that regard was his sponsorship of the Warner Observatory and its principal scientist, Dr. Lewis Swift (pictured above). Warner was introduced to Dr. Swift prior to launching his patent medicine line in 1879. Dr. Swift had won gold medals from the Imperial Academy of Sciences in Vienna for his discovery of comets. Feeling that his astronomical efforts were not appreciated in Rochester, Dr. Swift was ready to pack it in and move west to Colorado when Warner intervened.
Dr. Swift or "Professor" Swift, as he became known, was born in 1820 in Clarkson, New York. Handicapped by a childhood accident, Swift devoted his time to the study of astronomy. It appears that his titles were honorary and not the result of the award of any advanced degrees. Indeed, he was an astronomer by avocation only and the operator of a hardware store vocationally. However, his sightings of previously undiscovered comets elevated his reputation and enabled him to give lectures. His notoriety allowed him to begin the process of raising money for an observatory in Rochester Warner assured the ;famous comet finder; that if Swift could raise the money to purchase a large telescope, Warner would furnish a place to put it. The original estimate for construction of the Observatory was $20,000. Dr. Swift was able to fulfill his part of the bargain and a 16-inch refractor telescope was ordered from Alvan Clark & Son in Massachusetts. Ultimately, the Observatory cost Warner $100,000 and was constructed of white Lockport sandstone and appointed with rare native hardwoods. The plans for the Observatory also called for an astronomical library, astronomical equipment and a residential space for Dr. Lewis Swift and his family.

Today, the after market artifacts (the bottles that contained his products) are still found by the thousands each year in rivers, dumps, under old houses, in the walls of houses that are being renovated, privy digs and in attics all over the world.

In 1900, he sold his company once again to a firm in England. He never again was involved with the Warner's Safe Cure Company. A few short years after that the Pure Food & Drug Act of 1906 spelled the death Nell for the patient medicine industry.

Warner lost his fortune in the early 1984's to bad land speculation deals in Arizona and Nevada trying to get rich in the sliver mining industry. He announced his bankruptcy the day after his daughters wedding ceremony. He is forced to sell his properties at auction, his house "The Warner Castle), the observatory, and two vacation homes and an island in the Great Lakes for just over $60,000 total.

Following his bankruptcy filing in 1893, Warner separated from his second wife, Emily Olive Stoddard, and moved for a time to New York City. There is some speculation that he attempted to form another medicine company in Philadelphia in 1908-1915; however this has not been documented.

in Mexico, perhaps supervising some lumber investments. While there, It's believed may have met Christina de Martinez, who later took Warner's name and resided with him in Minneapolis where he tried to market products under an assumed name.

While living in Minnisota, Warner promoted yet another medicine business, the Nuera Manufacturing Company or Nuera Remedy Company. At the time of Warner's death in January, 1923, it was referred to as the Guaranteed Remedy Company and thereafter renamed by his companion Christina as Warner's Renowned Remedies Company. Examples of these remedies which included simple aspirin can still be found in Sears and Roebuck catalogs as late as the 1940's.

You can learn much more about HH Warner at Save Cure References including an article by Mark McDonald about a product call Tippecanoe Not Bitters.

H.H. (Hulbert Harrington) Warner was the founder and president of the Warner's Safe Kidney and Liver Cure in Rochester, N.Y. Prior to founding his world famous company, Warner was a salesman selling fire proof safes for the Mosler / Bahmann & Co. Supposedly, illness ended that career, but it was also said the illness was Bright's Disease, which is unlikely since acute Bright's was incurable at the time and often fatal. What is known was that Warner was a millionaire by the time he quit selling safes for a living.

In late 1870's Warner, believing he was suffering from Bright's Disease, sought out a remedy in Dr. Craig's Kidney Cure. When the illness passed, he became convinced that the medicinal remedy he had tired was responsible for saving his life, he bought the formula from Dr. Craig and began to mass market the product. He sold his first batch locally and drawing on his knowledge for the risk and disdain of "Patent Medicines" of the time, trademarked the now famous embossed image of a safe on all his bottles declaring the cure "Safe" for consumption.

By 1881, his company had manufacturers in Toronto, Ca. London, England as well as Rochester, N.Y. His product was sold coast to coast and, throughout the United States, Canada, England and South America. By 1883, H.H. Warner was as common a house hold name as George Eastman of Eastman Kodak fame, his products were more prevalent and available in nearly every store in America and Canada. It is rumored that he produced 10,000 gallons of his Kidney and Liver Cure a day from his Rochester facility alone.

He sold his interest in the company in 1890's to a consortium in England for 3 million dollars only to take possession of the company again a few short years later for non-payment of the purchase note. Warner went on to establish production of his product in Melbourne, AU, Frankfurt, GR, Dunedin, NZ and Pressburg, HU. There are rumors that he had begun an operation to service the South American market but so far there is no evidence to support these claims.

What is known is that H.H. Warner developed the first truly world market company, his products were sold world wide for over 30 years. His influence in the United States Political scene influenced where railroad lines were established. He innovated and mastered the News Article advertisement (the first infomercial), distributed 10's of thousands of almanacs (many of which are still collected today), souvenir maps, a line of medicinal products that heralded they could cure diabetes, rheumatism, aliments of the kidney and liver, hair loss (Benton's Hair Grower), a bitters product a tonic, a line of so called "old time" Log Cabin Cures for the nerves, scalp and other maladies. His products were purchased widely and made his remedies the most popular in the world for over 30 years.

Warner also sponsored several Nation wide astrological contests, offering rewards for the discovery of celestial objects. He established the first observatory in Rochester, had a telescope made for the facility, then hired Lewis Swift (co-discoverer of the Swift-Tuttle comet) to run the facility. Dr. Swift (there is some question if Swift was actually a Doctor or not) finally absconded with the telescope purchased by Warner and he fled to California to the University of San Jose where the telescope is still in use to this day.

There is little doubt that Warner's ability to market his product accounts for his great success. He missed few opportunities to pitch his Safe Remedies to the public and to cloak them with the air of legitimacy. Perhaps one of his successful efforts in that regard was his sponsorship of the Warner Observatory and its principal scientist, Dr. Lewis Swift (pictured above). Warner was introduced to Dr. Swift prior to launching his patent medicine line in 1879. Dr. Swift had won gold medals from the Imperial Academy of Sciences in Vienna for his discovery of comets. Feeling that his astronomical efforts were not appreciated in Rochester, Dr. Swift was ready to pack it in and move west to Colorado when Warner intervened.
Dr. Swift or "Professor" Swift, as he became known, was born in 1820 in Clarkson, New York. Handicapped by a childhood accident, Swift devoted his time to the study of astronomy. It appears that his titles were honorary and not the result of the award of any advanced degrees. Indeed, he was an astronomer by avocation only and the operator of a hardware store vocationally. However, his sightings of previously undiscovered comets elevated his reputation and enabled him to give lectures. His notoriety allowed him to begin the process of raising money for an observatory in Rochester Warner assured the ;famous comet finder; that if Swift could raise the money to purchase a large telescope, Warner would furnish a place to put it. The original estimate for construction of the Observatory was $20,000. Dr. Swift was able to fulfill his part of the bargain and a 16-inch refractor telescope was ordered from Alvan Clark & Son in Massachusetts. Ultimately, the Observatory cost Warner $100,000 and was constructed of white Lockport sandstone and appointed with rare native hardwoods. The plans for the Observatory also called for an astronomical library, astronomical equipment and a residential space for Dr. Lewis Swift and his family.

Today, the after market artifacts (the bottles that contained his products) are still found by the thousands each year in rivers, dumps, under old houses, in the walls of houses that are being renovated, privy digs and in attics all over the world.

In 1900, he sold his company once again to a firm in England. He never again was involved with the Warner's Safe Cure Company. A few short years after that the Pure Food & Drug Act of 1906 spelled the death Nell for the patient medicine industry.

Warner lost his fortune in the early 1984's to bad land speculation deals in Arizona and Nevada trying to get rich in the sliver mining industry. He announced his bankruptcy the day after his daughters wedding ceremony. He is forced to sell his properties at auction, his house "The Warner Castle), the observatory, and two vacation homes and an island in the Great Lakes for just over $60,000 total.

Following his bankruptcy filing in 1893, Warner separated from his second wife, Emily Olive Stoddard, and moved for a time to New York City. There is some speculation that he attempted to form another medicine company in Philadelphia in 1908-1915; however this has not been documented.

in Mexico, perhaps supervising some lumber investments. While there, It's believed may have met Christina de Martinez, who later took Warner's name and resided with him in Minneapolis where he tried to market products under an assumed name.

While living in Minnisota, Warner promoted yet another medicine business, the Nuera Manufacturing Company or Nuera Remedy Company. At the time of Warner's death in January, 1923, it was referred to as the Guaranteed Remedy Company and thereafter renamed by his companion Christina as Warner's Renowned Remedies Company. Examples of these remedies which included simple aspirin can still be found in Sears and Roebuck catalogs as late as the 1940's.

You can learn much more about HH Warner at Save Cure References including an article by Mark McDonald about a product call Tippecanoe Not Bitters.