"S. Andral, M. D. Born in the town of Cobleskill, Schoharie county, N, Y., December 19, 1840. He recalls even now in the multitude of his professional duties, with pleasant memories, the old log school house in Cobleskill where he first attended a district school. When he left these log walls he entered the halls of the Schoharie Academy, and afterward the Warnerville and Richmondville Seminaries. These he finished when he had reached the age of eighteen and entered the office of Dr. Scott, a prominent Allopathic physician in Schoharie county. Then, wishing to get outside the lines of the one-school idea, he studied with Dr. Downing, who has been called the successful pioneer of Homeopathy in the Schoharie region of New York State. Dr. Kilmer commenced the practice of medicine as a county physician at Barnerville, Schoharie county, N. Y. Although he aspired to rise in his profession, he found this to be too much up-hill work and abandoned his rides after about one and a half years' service. Following out the idea of a broad acquaintance with medicine and surgery he studied Eclectic and Botanic practice with Dr. Patrick of Wisconsin. But all these appeared to be but a beginning for he has documents that he attended the preliminary and regular course of the Bellevue Hospital and Medical College in New York City, where he had an opportunity for instruction at the Eye and Ear Infirmary on Blackwell's Island and other hospitals. A special practical course at the Philadelphia Lying-in-Charity Hospital, where instructions are given in practical Obstetrics and Diseases of Women ; at the Central Dispensary of Chicago, devoted to the same purpose ; at the Philadelphia School of Operative Surgery, under the special instruction of the noted physician, Dr. D. Hayes Agnew. Not only these, but there hangs in his office the diploma of the Bennett Medical College of Chicago.

After a successful tour of medical lectures and practice in the West, Dr. Kilmer settled in Binghamton, buying and building a residence on the plot where the extensive Kilmer Medicine Works are now located. He was first employed in visiting surrounding cities on advertised days, in which practice he was so famous and successful that he was soon enabled to commence the erection of his Laboratory buildings for the preparation of his remedies, which became necessary to supply the ever increasing demand."
 History of the Kilmer family in America
By Charles H. Kilmer 1897

According to an 1886 medical directory, Dr. Andral S. Kilmer graduated from Bennett College of Eclectic Medicine and Surgery. He received his diploma in 1875 from that Chicago Institution. Further medical training was obtained in Wisconsin, where he studied botanic practices and still more training was acquired later in New York and Philadelphia. He returned to Binghamton and set up practice around 1878. He set up practice and a medical dispensary in Binghamton, New York. He was shortly thereafter joined by his younger brother, Jonas M. Kilmer. Together they expanded sales locally to the point where they had to rebuild their dispensary around 1882. A five story building was with laboratory was constructed and fitted with the most up to date bottling equipment available capable of filling over 2,000 bottles an hour. The plant had everything necessary to prepare, bottle and package the medicines. Only the corks and bottles were not made at the plant.

In 1886, Andrew, another brother, joined the firm. But it was not until, Jonas’ son Willis, returned from Cornell where he had taken courses in modern advertising that the business. Willis, a flamboyant figure with a gift for promotion, embarked upon a national advertising campaign. Back woods folks might not be able to read, write or identify the president of the United States, but they instantly recognized the visage of Andral Kilmer. His likeness, was printed on every box, pamphlet and advertising sign. Andral eventually was bought out, or pushed out by the other members of the family by 1892. He brought suit against them bitterly complaining about his being disenfranchised.

By 1895 the company had a line of 18 different medicines: Of these the most common was the Swamp Root. The bottle of which has an embossed label area in the shape of a kidney. The embossing reads: " THE GREAT / DR. / KILMER’S / SWAMP / ROOT / KIDNEY / LIVER & . BLADDER / CURE / SPECIFIC". The bottle was made in a sample, small and large size. Only the large has the embossed kidney. Sometime after the passage of the Food and Drug Act of 1906, the word "CURE" was dropped in favor of the word, "REMEDY". Even later, the embossing was dropped but the embossed kidney panel was retained. Believe it or not one can still buy "Swamp Root" today complete with a portrait of Andral S. Kilmer.

Of all the bottles that might be collected, I have always considered this bottle to typify bottle collecting. Of the millions upon millions of Swamp Root bottles made and sold thousands have survived. To own a piece of the Kilmer legacy is within the price range of any collector. Better yet is the thrill of finding one’s own piece of history. Years ago it was thrilling to unearth a Swamp Root bottle. I still recall my great pleasure and enthusiasm, when digging in a logging camp dump in Northern Michigan, of finding my first Dr. Kilmer’s Ocean Weed Heart Remedy.

"THE GREAT / DR. / KILMER’S / SWAMP / ROOT / KIDNEY / LIVER & . BLADDER / CURE / SPECIFIC // DR. KILMER & CO. // BINGHAMTON, N.Y."
aqua, 8 ¾", variant A: Word "CURE" replaced by the Word "REMEDY"; variant B: No embossing but bottle has kidney shaped panel

EMBOSSED "THE BLOOD / DR. KILMER'S / OCEAN WEED / HEART / REMEDY /
SPECIFIC / / DR. KILMER & CO. // BINGHAMTON, N.Y."

Dr. Kilmer's Heart Remedy Extremely rare in this condition with box, label and contents. Value $250-300

EMBOSSING: DR. KILMER'S / INDIAN / COUGH CURE / CONSUMPTION OIL / BlNGHAMTON / N.Y. U.S.A.[on front] HEIGHT: 7 ½" COLOR:

Aqua SHAPE: Rect. LIP: RB with lower flare BIMAL.

Variant A: Same except 7¾"SB with dropped ring on neck [also without dropped ring].
Variant B: Same except 6" RB with lower flare.
Variant C: Same except 5 ¾"SB Aqua or Clear.
Variant D: Same except 4 ¾"SB [rare]
Variant E: Same Except 5¾"SB with dropped ring on neck.
Variant F: Label only says "Remedy" not "Cure".
Variant G: DR. KILMER'S / / INDIAN COUGH CURE CONSUMPTION OIL / BINGHAMTON, N.Y. U.S.A. [on 3 sides] HEIGHT: 7 1/8"

COLOR: Aqua SHAPE: Rect. LIP: SB with dropped ring on neck

BIMAL. Value $25-40 $100-$150 with label, box and contents

Dr. Kilmer & Co. filed an application for a label "Dr. Kilmer's Indian Medicine

Jug" in September of 1883. If the Kilmer company ever used this label it is not

known to the author, or any persons knowledgeable about Kilmer products. It

would be rather exciting to discover in a basement or attic a jug with the label

shown. The actual label was only 3 inches tall.

"DR. KILMER'S / FEMALE / REMEDY / BINGHAMTON, N.Y."
aqua, 8 5/8" bimal, circa, 1895, $30-40, with label and contents $70-100..

LABEL READS: "Dr. Kilmer's Female Remedy, The great Blood Purifier and System
regulator. The Only Herbal Alterative and Depurative Ever Discovered. Specially
adapted to Female Constitutions..."