According to the blurb on the packets, IIRC, the "cough drops" were lozenges "specially formulated for deep sea fisherman working in Icelandic conditions" - confirmed by the Direct Chemist site here . I think the Icelandic conditions at the time referred to climate, and any banks were fishing grounds, not financial institutions. I always wondered why the lozenges were sold in paper (not very waterproof) packets?