Forgotten American 'cure-all' from 1903 makes comeback with one key ingredient missing

A forgotten American elixir once marketed as a "cure-all" more than a century ago has gotten a second life — thanks to a chance discovery in Florida.

Munyon's Paw-Paw, an alcoholic beverage dating to the early 1900s, has been resurrected by two longtime spirits industry veterans who stumbled upon its unusual history during a family outing.

Jupiter, Florida, resident Joe Colucci was visiting John D.

MacArthur Beach State Park in Palm Beach County when he spotted an antique bottle from 1903 in a display about Dr.

James Munyon, a businessman who once owned a nearby island.

GEORGE WASHINGTON'S 1757 BEER RECIPE BROUGHT BACK TO LIFE Intrigued, Colucci called his longtime colleague, Paul Massey, and the two began digging into the forgotten drink's past.

What they discovered was a colorful chapter of American history.

Munyon, an entrepreneur who built a fortune selling homeopathic remedies around the turn of the 20th century, marketed his Paw-Paw elixir as a medicinal cure-all.

The original concoction contained fermented papaya and alcohol — along with a surprising ingredient, according to the founders.

COCA-COLA QUIETLY AXED ONE REAGAN-ERA DRINK THAT DISAPPEARED FROM STORE SHELVES "There was actually THC in the original formulation as well," Massey told Fox News Digital.

The pair traveled to Pennsylvania to meet with a historian researching Munyon's life and eventually obtained an original bottle containing some of the century-old liquid.

They even sampled it.

"Wasn't exactly still fresh, to say the least," Colucci recalled.

Determined to revive the historic brand , the entrepreneurs worked with a Miami craft distiller to develop a modern version inspired by the original, minus the THC.