Dunbar's Diarrhoea Mixture. Human situations. Tomcat sitting up reading a book of jokes; kitten ringing a bell; two other cats showing signs of distress. Caption: O! Pa have some mercy. Patent medicines are compounds promoted and sold as medical cures that do not work as promoted. "Patent medicine" is a misnomer since in most cases, although products might be trademarked, they are not patented. The promotion of patent medicines was one of the first major products highlighted by the advertising industry, and many advertising and sales techniques were pioneered by patent medicine promoters.