S. Andral Kilmer

S. Andral Kilmer
Illo. of Dr. Kilmer, c. 1897
Born	Sylvester Andral Kilmer 19 December 1840(1840-12-19) Cobleskill, Schoharie, New York
Died	14 January 1924 (83)  Binghamton, New York
Burial	Spring Forest Cemetery Binghamton, New York
Field(s)	Proprietary Medicine
Known for	Dr. Kilmer's Swamp Root; Sanitarium and Hydrotherapium at Sanitaria Springs, New York

Sylvester Andral Kilmer (December 19, 1840 - January 14, 1924) was an American physician, involved with patent medicine via his invention of Dr. Kilmer's Swamp Root and other remedies, sold through Dr. Kilmer & Co., a family-run business managed by his brother, Jonas M. Kilmer, and nephew, Willis Sharpe Kilmer. After his retirement from the swamp-root business in 1892, Kilmer established a sanitarium and hydrotherapium at Sanitaria Springs, New York, which he operated for some twenty years, and promoted himself as having the ability to cure cancer without surgical intervention.

Advertising

After being bought out of his patent medicine business, Kilmer dedicated himself to his sanitarium and system of cancer cure ("De-Cancerizing Removal System"), the CanCertorium:

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  "CANCER CONQUERED! The Invalid's Benefactor, DR. S. ANDRAL KILMER. America's most eminent Cancer and Tumor Expert Specialist has a world wide reputation, well known for years in every household." (24 March 1900, Barre Evening Telegram)

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  "A NEWSPAPER TRUTH FOUND AT LAST! A MILLIONAIRE SAVED! Mastery and Removal of CANCER Tumor, Carcinoma, Epithelioma, Growths, Bunches, Malignant Skin Diseases and Ulcers. THE INVALID'S BENEFACTOR, Dr. S. Andral Kilmer. De-Cancerizing Removal System. THE KNIFE AND ITS HORRORS LAID ASIDE — NON-SURGICAL" (3 May 1900, NY Tribune)

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  1920 advertisement for the Binghamton CanCertorium and Sanitarium, depicting the grounds and inviting the reader to send for more information.

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  "Cancers and Tumors in Jars - Patients Recovered, Scientific System. Its Verity and Merit Proved. A successful non-surgical De-Cancerizing system of treatment. No knife, X-ray, radium or serum. Confinement to bed and loss of blood rare." (1920)

Reading

• Kilmer, C. H. (1897), "S. Andral, M.D.", History of the Kilmer Family In America, Elmira: Kilmer, p. 24-26, https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/005769945