Robert Travis, of Elkton, Kentucky, registered a Patent for his Hair Wash in 1873 (Patent #142,532). He assigned half of the rights to the preparation to Jesse Russell, of the same city. The preparation claimed to not only cleanse the head and hair, but to also strengthen the roots, and promote the growth of hair. The preparation was made by dissolving 1 ounce of sal-soda, 1 ounce of hickory ashes, 1 ounce of unslaked lime, and one ounce of cooking soda into a combination of 1 gallon of rain-water and 1 ounce of whisky. To the mixture was then added some suitable perfuming agent.