Melvenia Babcock, of Boston, Mass., registered a Patent for her Hair Dressing in 1888 (Patent #385,988). She claimed it would strengthen the hair, stimulate its growth, and render it soft and glossy. The preparation was made by the following procedure:
(1) Steep 1/2 peck each of sweet fern and bayberry, in separate vessels in just enough water to cover them; (2) 1 quart of the decoction of sweet fern is combined with 1 pint of the decoction of bayberry, and to this is added a grain of cayenne pepper and 1 pint of caster oil; (3) add 2 quarts of alcohol to preserve the mixture, and 1 ounce of bitter almond to perfume the mixture.