Fisherman'
s Friend were originally developed by a young pharmacist named James Lofthouse in 1865 to relieve various respiratory problems suffered by fishermen working in the extreme conditions of the Icelandic
deep-sea
fishing grounds. Originally developed as an extremely strong liquid remedy containing menthol and eucalyptus oil, Lofthouse made this liquid into
small lozenges which were easier to transport and to administer. According to the manufacturer, the fishermen
soon began to refer to the lozenges as their "friends", hence the name. The lozenges exist in their current form relatively unchanged since their creation. The lozenges still come in their famous
paper packets, although these are now foil-lined and sometimes packaged inside a cardboard carton.