This product was sold by D.M. Newbro, of Butte, Montana starting around 1899. In 1898, Newbro had become interested in the study of hair, dandruff, baldness, and the diseases of the hair and scalp. He decided that somewhere in nature there must be a material for a harmless destroyer of the parasites whose invasion of the scalp means first dandruff, then falling hair, and finally baldness.
This idea was so firmly fixed in his mind that he associated with himself a famous Bacteriologist and together they set out to find the needed destroyer. After about 18 months of unceasing lab work and experimentation they discovered what they sought. They found a formula that kills the dandruff germ. Being sure that they had a good cure, they sent samples to a number of medical practitioners who all reported back that it was indeed a specific for the disease in question. The name they selected for their product was "Herpicide," which was no doubt formed from the Latin words "herpes," meaning to creep, and the "cide," meaning death.
Immediately after they placed the product on the market it became a phenomenal success.
Newbro Drug Co. registered the word "Herpicide" in 1899 as a Trade Mark (TM #34,947). The symbols Newbro registered at that time were pictures of a diseased, and a healthy hair root. He claimed to have been using this Trade Mark since 1899. Pictures of the label under glass variants were provided by Michael Murro.