Humble Beginnings
Duncan Napier was born in 1831 and abandoned at birth. Raised by a local innkeeper and his wife, his early life was filled with hardship. At just nine years old, he began working as a baker’s apprentice, but the flour dust triggered a persistent and painful cough. This led him on a personal journey in search of healing.
That search changed his life. Inspired by his mentor, John Hope, Duncan began attending scientific botany classes and joined the Edinburgh Botanical Society. His interest in plants grew, and with time, he began creating his own herbal preparations. One of these, a cough syrup made using the herb Lobelia, proved so effective that it became the foundation for what would become his life’s work.