brown glass bottle containing aletris cordial (sometimes known as 'Mother's cordial'), uterine tonic prepared by Rio Chemical Co. bottle and contents from U.S.A., 1901 to 1920

Aletris Cordial – better known as Mother’s Cordial – was a popular ‘over the counter’ remedy described as a uterine tonic, taken in the last weeks of pregnancy to improve the chances of a safe birth and prepare the body for labour. Women who had miscarried during previous pregnancies also took it as a preventative measure. One or two teaspoonfuls were to be taken each day throughout the pregnancy. The uterine tonic was also prescribed for women with problems with their menstrual cycles such as amenorrhoea.

The tonic contained aletris, from a bitter-tasting plant called stargrass. The tonic was made by Rio Chemical Company and was available from the 1890s.