Lunsford Richardson, an American pharmacist from North Carolina, is credited with inventing Vicks VapoRub in the late 19th–early 20th century.

Quick Scoop

  • Inventor: Lunsford Richardson, born 1854 in Johnston County, North Carolina.
  • Original purpose: A mentholated croup and pneumonia salve he created to help treat his own child’s respiratory illness.
  • Early name: Sold first as “Richardson’s Croup and Pneumonia Cure Salve” / “Vick’s Magic Croup Salve” before being renamed Vicks VapoRub.
  • Renaming to VapoRub: The product took on the Vicks VapoRub name around 1911–1912, pushed by his son H. Smith Richardson as the family focused on this single standout remedy.

How Vicks VapoRub Started

  • Richardson worked with his brother‑in‑law, physician Joshua (John/Joshua) Vick, whose name “Vick” ended up on the brand because it was short and easy to fit on labels.
  • Inspired by menthol-based remedies like the French Ben-Gay and by reports that menthol cleared sinuses, he blended menthol, camphor, eucalyptus oil and other oils into petroleum jelly to create the now‑famous chest rub.

From Local Salve To Global Brand

  • Richardson began selling his menthol salve in Greensboro, North Carolina in the 1890s–early 1900s; it slowly grew from a local pharmacy product to a broader “Vick’s Family Remedies” line.
  • After his son pushed the company to focus on VapoRub alone, the product took off—especially during the 1918–1919 flu pandemic, when it became a staple in many home medicine cabinets.

A Tiny SEO-Friendly FAQ

  • Who invented Vicks VapoRub? Lunsford Richardson, a pharmacist in North Carolina.
  • When was Vicks VapoRub developed? The mentholated salve dates to the 1890s and was marketed under the VapoRub name by the early 1910s.
  • Why is it called “Vicks”? It honors his brother‑in‑law Dr. Joshua/John Vick, whose name labeled the remedies and later the Vicks brand.

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