Daffy's Elixir

Daffy's Elixir is a name that has been given to several quack medicines over the years. One of the earliest of these elixirs was invented by clergyman Thomas Daffy (? - 1680) in 1647, named elixir salutis (lit. elixir of salvation) and promoted as a generic cure-all.

A recipe for "True Daffy" from 1700 lists the following ingredients: aniseed, brandy, cochineal, elecampane, fennel seed, jalap, manna, parsley seed, raisin, rhubarb, saffron, senna and spanish liquorice. Chemical analysis has shown this to be a laxative made mostly from alcohol.