The 19th century witnessed many medical developments within hospitals as they became important centers of knowledge and education. This development did not spread to Canadians' habits, however, as many continued to receive medical care through more informal and traditional practices. In smaller communities where the number of licensed physicians was limited, citizens often sought medical advice from various people who had specialized knowledge of some aspect of medicine, such as healers or herbalists. Largely, medical care was relegated to four categories: medication, bloodletting, diet, and surgery. The content of Hints on Health and Tested Receipts for Plain Cooking falls under the category of medication, which at the time included simple remedies based on single plants or compounds. After the turn of the century, druggists/pharmacists took on the role of the apothecary by selling a variety of medicines aimed to improve the life/health of a variety of sufferers. For apothecaries like J.S. Armitage, the art of preparing drug products is called Secundum Artem, which means to practice the medicine to the standards of a procedure. Between 1870 and 1871, various pharmacy acts granted the profession a degree of self-governance by allowing pharmacy organizations to look after the issuing of licenses to druggists/pharmacists. In Canada, an apprenticeship system was used to teach pharmaceuticals. In 1907, the Canadian Pharmaceutical Association was founded to help regulate the establishment of pharmacies throughout the country. However, many pharmaceutical companies circumvented government legislation by selling secret formulas or patent medicines through catalogues.

In the early 1900s, patent medicines like cod liver oil elixirs were taking the world by storm, as evidenced by the contents of Hints on Health and Tested Receipts for Plain Cooking. Different manufacturers sold the product as a cure-all for various aches, pains, and bodily complaints. Cod liver oil was made by cutting out fish livers and gallbladders and letting them decompose in a barrel. The oil produced was released from the decomposing fish and came in three grades: pale, light brown, and dark brown. Many people were willing to take cod liver oil elixirs because of their supposed benefits, but others refused because of their infamously strong and pungent aftertaste.

Vinol is a brand of cod liver oil elixir that is advertised throughout Hints on Health and Tested Receipts for Plain Cooking. The advertisement for the product and the cover of the cookbook utilize the same image of an elderly White woman looking off into the distance. The advertisement states the importance of the specific benefits of Vinol to people with different illnesses. The cookbook and the advertisements both discuss some of the consumers who may benefit from consuming Vinol: the elderly, children, those who are perpetually weak/tired, and those with pulmonary concerns. The advertisement states: “For sale at the leading drug store in almost every town and city.” In the case of Paris, this would have been J.S. Armitage's phamacy. 

Throughout the later 19th and early 20th centuries, there were incredible and important developments that occurred regarding medical practice. Especially, around the turn of the 20th century, the Canadian government passed several new laws in the hopes of developing a better and more regulated healthcare system. Due to these laws, practitioners of medicine, including druggists/pharmacists, were expected to have greater knowledge of the human body and pharmaceuticals. However, the peddling of patent and unregulated medicines claiming to cure every possible ailment remained commonplace, as Vinol demonstrates. Largely, these medicines fell short of their promises and, instead, padded the pockets of manufacturers and pharmacies willing to sell them to unassuming consumers.