No. 4 1

No.4, Spring 2002

News and Notes from the American Institute of the History of Pharmacy

The American Institute of the History of Pharmacy is a uniqueorganization dedicated to the preservation of pharmacy’s heri-tage. The Apothecary’s Cabinet is a publication from AIHP thattakes a popular look at the history of pharmacy in its many fac-ets. We welcome your comments and submissions.

CabinetApothecary’s

eAuctions and Pharmaceutical AntiqueCollecting—eCaveat Emptorby Anthony Palmieri III

Introduction

A relatively new phenomenonfor pharmaceutical antique col-lectors is the availability ofInternet auctions and sales. Thisability has had a dramatic affecton the hobby of collecting. Ob-viously there are a wide rangeof opportunities on the Webwith the primary one beingeBay. In some ways it has madethe ability of collectors to ob-tain rare pieces easier yet it hasalso become more competitive.There has also been an expectedrise in fakes, forgeries and re-productions. As in live auctions,one must be cautious and viewthese items for sale with a criti-cal eye. The reputation of theseller and buyer in both in-stances is critical. If you do nottrust the other party be cautiousor do not deal with them. What

may seem like a unique item of-ten is not. What seems old, de-sirable and rare may not be.Many pharmaceutical compa-nies have numerous reproduc-tions that may appear authenticin a photo or the seller may notrecognize it as a new piece. Onthe Internet one does not havethe ability to hold, to feel, or toexamine the object. With certainitems the ability to examine thecomposition, to see the wood, toinspect a painting under an ul-

traviolet light, to feel the metalof the object, indeed to smellthe artifact is critical in an exactevaluation. One must be carefulto not let desire for an objectcloud judgment. Although thereare many downsides to Internetcollecting, it is a wonderful op-portunity to search the world foran object that is not readilyavailable in a certain geographicarea. Good examples of thistype of object are druggist toolssuch as pill tiles, pill rollers,

2 Apothecary’s Cabinet

THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF THE HISTORY OF PHARMACY is incorporated under Wisconsin statute 180 as a non-profit organization de-voted to advancing knowledge and understanding of the place of pharmacy in history. It publishes Pharmacy in History, Apothecary’s Cabinet, occa-sional monographs, and pamphlets; it fosters humanistic teaching in pharmaceutical education; confers awards for outstanding achievement in its field;sponsors historical meetings and exhibits; collects and preserves source materials; and serves as a center for research and information.

PUBLICATION PRICES: Apothecary’s Cabinet is distributed free of charge to schools of pharmacy upon request. This and other publications of theAIHP may be obtained through membership ($50 per year for individuals, $100 for institutions); individual copies of Apothecary’s Cabinet are $2.00.

Editor: Gregory J. HigbyAssistant Editor: Elaine Condouris StroudPublisher: American Institute of the History of Pharmacy, located at the University of Wisconsin School of Pharmacy,

777 Highland Ave., Madison, Wisconsin 53705-2222 Phone (608) 262-5378, email AC@aihp.org; www.aihp.org.

Apothecary’s Cabinet • No. 4, Spring 2002 ISSN 1534-4509

capsule machines, cachet makers and the like.Since the demand for these artifacts is limited sois the potential market often limited by geogra-phy. There is also a high volume of more ubiqui-tous objects such as bottles and trade cards.

Internet Auction Sites

There is a plethora of Internet sites for thepharmaceutical collector. Most large auctionhouses such as Sotheby’s now also have anInternet “office.” Ephemera catalogues have alsoproliferated on-line and a search using keywordseasily identifies many sites—although mosthave limited stock. Of course the premier site iseBay. Originally started as a site to buy and sellPEZ dispensers, eBay.com has become a gigan-tic business and without a doubt the best andmost well-stocked site. eBay is simply a brokerservice bringing buyers and sellers together anddoes not vet buyers or sellers except in the caseof abuse reported by others. Founded in Septem-ber 1995, eBay is the world’s largest on-linemarketplace. According to eBay press releases ittransacted over five billion dollars in gross salesin 2000. There are approximately 30 million reg-istered users in the eBay “community.” Thereare millions of items in thousands of categorieslisted at a time on the site. With this vast sizethere are the usual advantages and disadvan-tages. At times items are difficult to locate andin any search false drops and items missed arecommon. One simply obtains a user name oneBay and then can bid. As in traditional auc-

tions, many items, especially higher priceditems have a reserve price, which means it has aminimal acceptable bid known only to theseller. Most sellers will not disclose the mini-mum bid even if asked by a potential buyer.Like local live auctions one sees familiar namesbidding often on select objects. For this reasonsome buyers will use an alias so that their realname is not recognized or will often use an aliasto ward off other bidders who may bid simplyknowing that a well known collector is inter-ested in the item and as such it must be a highlyvalued item. There are also those who will notbid against one another. For example two col-lectors may be friends and have determined theywill not bid against each other.

Advantages of Internet Collecting

Given the previously mentioned cautions,there are numerous advantages of collecting onthe Internet. Primarily, there is a greater oppor-tunity to see rare items especially drug jars,druggist tools, patent medicine advertisements,apothecary chests and ephemera. Like livesales, sellers who have such rare items are usu-ally aware of their value and often place reserveprices unknown to the potential buyer on suchdesirable items. The Internet auctions also at-tract a wider selection of buyers than do liveauctions. Competitive bidding is the norm ratherthan the exception on especially rare items andauthentic apothecary tools as well as early, highquality advertising pieces. Be cautious if you

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are the only bidder on an itemthat appears to be highly desir-able as it may be a reproduc-tion. Another advantage is theability to often see a seller’s his-tory concerning feedback fromprevious buyers. Especially oneBay, one can easily ask theseller a question and look atfeedback for the seller from pre-vious customers. This feedbackis essentially the equivalent of arecommendation. Avoid sellerswith a poor feedback rating ordeal with them at your own risk.

Inventory on eAuctions

One can initially be over-whelmed by the inventory ateBay. Other sites are woefullyinadequate for the pharmaceuti-cal collector. At eBay one canfind a wide assortment of itemsto collect, and the wise collectorquickly learns that hours can bespent chasing false leads. Thecollector must quickly decidewhat to collect and the propersearch terms. For example ifone searched for “mortars” anddesired pharmaceutical mortarsthey would find many more ref-erences to ammunition mortarswhile a search for “pestle”would result in significantlyfewer false positive hits. Onemust also be aware that thereare some misspellings on thesites. The author is amazed athow many variations there areon the spelling of mortar andpestle.

Balances, scales, showglobes, pharmacy tools such aspill rollers, advertising items,and apothecary chests as well asa few fine art objects with a

pharmacy theme are among themore expensive items and assuch are also the more repro-duced objects found on Internetauction sites. Making many ofthese articles appear aged anddistressed is an easy task. To thenovice these are also the objectsthat are more difficult to au-thenticate unless they are seenin person and viewed with acritical eye. In the category ofhigh-end specialty collecting,the Internet auctions have theadvantage of allowing a greatergeographic area to the seller,and for the potential purchaserthe opportunity to view, bid andultimately purchase a rare ob-ject that may elude a collectorlimited by geography.

There are of course manyless expensive items availablethrough Internet auctions such asthe ubiquitous bottles, tradecards, mortars, and prescriptions.One must be ever cautious withbottles and advertising since thereproductions are numerous. Withbottles the reproductions are diffi-cult to spot since many weremade by companies intended as agive-away to pharmacists. An-other concern is that while onecan view pictures on-line theflaws in the object may not be asreadily apparent to the potentialpurchaser. This is why a returnpolicy and a truthful seller arecritical. Another potential pitfallis that many sellers will charge ahigh packing and shipping cost.Be certain to include the packingand shipping cost in any potentialpurchase price. One could pay areasonable amount for a tradecard or another easily shippeditem and be surprised by the

packing and shipping costcharged by the seller.

Items by search terms oneBay on October 3, 2001:

Pharmacy 1078Drugstore 506Druggist 194Pharmacist 322Apothecary 735Trade card 101Mortar 1922Pestle 287Mortar + pestle 243Apothecary + chest 9Drugstore + sign 16Drugstore + bottle 47Pharmacy + bottle 187Bottle 52164

By using Boolean logicone can reduce the number ofincorrect hits on the site. How-ever the buyer is dependent onthe knowledge, honesty, and ex-pertise of the seller in describ-ing the item. As in live auctionsand sales the age of the object isoften not as important as thenumber of collectors who desirethe item. For example, the com-memorative tiles and mortarsthat companies gave away inthe 1970s are very popular.

Auction sites

Obviously, eBay is the pre-mier site for collecting. How-ever there are a few others wor-thy of mention especially if thecollector desires a specific itemor has a specific area of interest.For fine art, prints or pharma-ceutical furniture the traditionalauction houses usually alsohave an Internet site. Sotheby’sfor example regularly schedules

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Internet auctions involving medi-cal art, prints, or fine apothecarychests.

Earlyamerican.com has nu-merous auctions per year on lineor by FAX where one can findencased postage relating to drug-store items, obsolete advertisingcurrency, ephemera, and patentmedicine advertising. One greatadvantage of these sites is that apotential buyer or seller cansearch completed auctions to de-termine what previous items havemade and get a feel for a fairprice realizing that condition iscritical in determining price andthat comparisons are tenuous.

Payment may be made bycheck, a range of electronicmeans, or cash. For smallertransactions this writer has hadno negative experiences usingand sending cash through themail. He has never used a creditcard to pay an on-line seller.Payment by check is usuallyslower since most sellers willrequire that the buyer’s checkclears before sending. In mostinstances, while insurance is of-fered as a rather expensive op-tion, I believe it to be unneces-sary.

Helpful Hints

First, as with a live auctionone must view the object, andask questions of the seller. Donot fall in love with an object; itmay not love you back. Becritical. Ask yourself questionssuch as has this item been re-produced? Why am I purchas-ing the item? If for my personalcollection I can pay a premiumover what I could pay if I

wanted to resell the item. Whatis the condition of the item?What is the maximum amount Iam willing to pay for the piece?Ask is the seller credible? Howdoes the piece fit into the otherparts of my collection? Lastly,will I be devastated if I do notobtain the piece?

A significant differenceconcerning eAuctions is thatsince the bidder is usually noton-line at the time of closingone can be a victim of a“sniper.” This is a bidder whoplaces a last minute bid a fewcents above your highest bidand if you were not on-line youwould lose the item. Because ofthis one should place the abso-lute highest bid that one is will-ing to pay for the piece and real-ize that if the other bidder issuccessful another item willcome along some day. Anotherapproach is to note the time thatthe auction ends and be on-lineat that time following the activ-ity. Be aware that the endingtime for eBay is Pacific Time,often in the middle of the nightfor anyone on the east coast.One must also be alert for a“shill.” A “shill” is a fake bidusually by the seller to inflatethe final selling price of the itemor to determine how much a po-tential buyer is willing to payfor an item. Be cautious, asthere are very few unique itemsin the world of collecting.

Conclusion

There are a variety of ad-vantages and disadvantages ofeAuctions. One can spendcountless hours enjoying the ex-

perience or become an eAuctionaddict if not careful.

As in live, in-person auc-tions, one must view the itemwith open eyes and a clearmind. Internet auctions have al-lowed the pharmaceutical col-lecting community a great op-portunity to obtain items thatmay not be readily available inone’s geographic area but itdoes take away some of the“thrill of the hunt,” the findingof an object one has been seek-ing for years or even a lifetime.Remember if something appearsto be too good to be true it prob-ably is too good to be true.View items with your eyes andbid with your wallet not yourheart. Have fun, enjoy the expe-rience but remember eCaveatEmptor.

About the author:

Anthony Palmieri III, Ph.D. isAssistant Director, Office ofTechnology Licensing, Universityof Florida. He is a registeredpharmacist and has published andpresented extensively on localpharmacy history, patent medicineadvertising, and frontier pharmacy.In the spirit of full disclosure, asof this writing, his eBay name isApal50.

No. 4 5

Approximate Measures

NOT IN THEIR SET“See him go past with his nose in the air!”“Yes, just because he’s a pharmaceutical graduate, he feelsabove us ordinary tumblers.”

(from Harper’s Weekly, 14 August 1897,

available on HarpWeek.com)

from Joseph Remington, The Practice of

Pharmacy. A Treatise (1893)

“In apportioning doses for a patient, the practi-tioner is usually compelled to order the liquid medi-cine to be administered in certain quantities that havebeen established by custom, and estimated as fol-lows:

A tumblerful.......foz.viij. [8 fluid ounces]A teacupful...........foz iv. [4 fluid ounces]a wineglassful........foz ij.[2 fluid ounces]a tablespoonful.......f drachm iv.[4 drachms]a dessertspoonful.....f drachm ij.[2 drachms]a teaspoonful..........f drachm i.[1 drachm]a drop, through a popular error, is considered to be 1 minim.

In almost all cases the modern teacups, table-spoons, dessertspoons, and teaspoons, after careful

tests by the author, were found to averagetwenty-five per cent. greater capacity thanthe theoretical quantities given above; andthe use of accurately graduated medicine-glasses, which may be had now at a triflingcost, should be insisted upon.”

At the end of the 19th century few phar-macists finished a formal education—mosthad to learn their skills through an appren-ticeship. As this cartoon by Herbert MerillWilder, published in Harper’s Weeklypoints out, there was undoubtedly sometension between pharmacists with andwithout formal educational training.

6 Apothecary’s Cabinet

Swallowing the Pill

by David L. Cowen

OVER one hundred years ago,on June 24, 1884 to be exact,Dr. Paul G. Unna, a dermatolo-gist of Hamburg, Germany, dra-matically passed among the au-dience at a meeting of theHamburg Medical Society fourreagent glasses. Perhaps he hadan inkling that he was usheringin a new age of drug therapy ashe did so. In two of the reagentglasses Unna had placed sali-cylic acid pills coated withHornstuff (keratin); in the othertwo, keratinirte (keratinized)iron chloride pills. He demon-strated to his colleagues thatthese pills were impervious to amixture that simulated stomachfluids but that they were highlyactivated and broken up by flu-ids simulating those of the smallintestine. He suggested that inthe healthy human being suchkeratinized pills would passthrough the stomach unchangedand not release their medicationuntil they reached the intestine.

Earlier pill coatings, goingback to Arabic times, includedgold, silver, gum, sugar, andother substances and were es-sentially intended mainly tomake the pill easier and morepalatable to swallow; entericcoating went beyond these pur-poses. Unna, who had been in-terested in the problem of en-teric coating for six years, didnot claim to originate the con-cept. Others had earlier sug-

gested coatings of sodium sali-cylate and of collodion. Theformer proved ineffective andthe latter apparently had somesuccess; Unna himself used itbefore hitting upon keratin.

What made Unna’s worktruly revolutionary was the con-cept that the form of a medica-tion could be used to influence,if not determine, its substantiveeffects. From Unna’s concepteventually grew the multitudeof time-release dosage formsthat created a whole new drugdelivery system. Conventional

methods of drug delivery havebeen described as being “likeshipping drugs from Basle toRotterdam by pouring them intothe Rhine.” Proper coating ofpills made it possible to main-tain drug concentration at de-monstrable and controllabletherapeutic levels; it envisioneda rational pharmacology.

No. 4 7

Pharmacy andExploration

causes and treatment of tropical ailments andhad made special studies of the problem ofmedical supplies and equipment for travel-lers. As a result, they were able, not only tosupply compact medicine cases fitted withcompressed medicaments which were im-pervious to climatic influences, but also togive intending travellers and explorers ex-pert advice as to the character and quanti-ties of the medicines they would need in ac-cordance with the part of the world in whichthey proposed to travel, and the diseases bywhich they would be liable to be attacked.Stanley was one of the first to avail himselfof the results of this specialised research. In

his later expeditions, he was always equippedwith “Tabloid” Medical Outfits, and sincethat time Burroughs Wellcome & Co. havesupplied the medical equipments of practi-cally every important expedition.1

Burroughs Wellcome alsoworked with Byrd’s Antarctic Ex-pedition. The Byrd expedition waswell-outfitted with supplies, aswas the base camp in the Bay ofWhales, called “Little America.”

“Tabloid” medicine case carried by Captain Scott to the South Pole and found in the tent

in which he died.

WHEREVER explorers travel,they need to make some provi-sion for tending to their healthor wounds in the unknown ter-ritory. For the Chicago Centuryof Progress Exposition in 1934,Burroughs Wellcome and Co.published The Romance of Ex-ploration and Emergency First-Aid from Stanley to Bird, in-tended to tell the stories of“pioneer heroes of Africa,”“Heroes of Polar Exploration,”and “Pioneers of Air Travel,”with a focus on the particular“Tabloid” medicine chests thatwere taken on these trips. The“Tabloid” name was a regis-tered trademark of BurroughsWellcome & Co. that referredto the medicine cases as well asthe individual drug products.

Burroughs Wellcome’sconnection with explorationseems to have begun with H.M. Stanley and his travels inAfrica. After Stanley returnedfrom Africa he began an asso-ciation with BurroughsWellcome to help solve medicalproblems he had encounteredon his expeditions. The expla-nation for his choice—as told inthis promotional publication—was that:

This firm, impressed by the sufferings ofearly explorers, the lack of knowledge oftropical diseases and the impossibility of car-rying adequate medical supplies, owing tothe bulk of the medicines hitherto available,had instituted scientific research into the

by Elaine Stroud

The coast of Antarctica bears the name of pharmacist Charles Walgreen, whose friend-

ship and support the explorer Richard Byrd enjoyed. (Photo courtesy Walgreens.)

8 Apothecary’s Cabinet

It was here that a small pharmacy, named the“Wellcome Dispensary” by Byrd, was set up.This pharmacy—the farthest south in theworld—dispensed medicines and treated inju-ries, as well as equipping the exploring parties.

Pharmacy has another connection with theAntarctic expeditions—1000 miles of coastlineon the Amundsen Sea was named the “WalgreenCoast.” Charles Walgreen, founder of the well-known drugstore chain, donated one ton ofmalted milk tablets for Byrd’s second expeditionin 1933, and Admiral Byrd named the coastlineand a mountain in honor of this benefactor.Charles Walgreen and Richard Byrd had a per-sonal relationship as well, developed afterMyrtle Walgreen (Charles’ wife) invited the Ad-

Pharmacy Over the Moon

by Christiane Staiger*

As the millennium draws near, it is a good timeto reflect on the achievements of the past cen-tury. From the human point of view, escapingfrom the planet earth was certainly a remarkableevent.

After President Kennedy’s announcementin 1961of his goal, “before this decade is out, oflanding a man on the Moon and returning himsafely to the Earth,” NASA launched the ApolloProgram, an early example of manned spaceflight.

Tabloid medicine chests and reserve medical stores of Tabloid

medicines, bandages, and dressings that were supplied by

Burroughs Wellcome & Co. to the Mount Everest Expedition,

1933.

miral to their home in 1938, when the two menbecame close friends. Byrd presented a map ofAntarctica to Chuck Walgreen (Charles’ son)with the inscription: “Dear Chuck, Here is thecoast line I named after that great Americanyour father, and my dear friend CharlesWalgreen. With it goes my affectionate regardsto all the Walgreens. Dick Byrd.”2 At the age of89 Chuck Walgreen traveled to Antarctica, tak-ing the trip his father had always wanted tomake.

Pharmacy and its leaders have played animportant role is assuring the safety and successof a number of famous expeditions.

Finally, on November 28, 1929, Commander Byrd, with BerntBalchen and Harold June at the controls and McKinley as cameraoperator, took off and reached the high Polar Plateau, flying up thedangerous Liv Glacier to an elevation of 12,000 feet. At 1.14 pm,

The Wellcome Dispensary at “Little America,” Antarctica, was

named in appreciation of the assistance given to Byrd by Sir

Henry Wellcome.

Greenwich time, on November 29, he flew over the South Pole,made a complete circuit and returned to his base, without the slight-est discomfort. Thus, ‘Tabloid’ Equipments have a unique record.They were first at the North Pole with Peary, second with Byrd,and third with Amundsen and Ellsworth, as well as first at the SouthPole with Amundsen, second with Scott and third with Byrd.3

References

1. The Romance of Exploration and Emergency First-Aid from Stanley to Byrd

(NY: Burroughs Wellcome & Co., 1934), pp. 11-12.

2. Walgreens: Celebrating 100 years as the Pharmacy America Trusts(Walgreens, 2001), p. 8

3. Romance of Exploration, p. 76.

*This article appeared previously in the journal of the Australian Academy of the

History of Pharmacy, Pharmacy History, Australia.

No. 4 9

What Is It?

See page 13 for the answer.

Apollo 8 was the first manned space craftthat left earth orbit. In July 1969, Apollo 11landed the first men on the moon.

To seek a pharmaceutical connection withthe success of one of the greatest challengesmankind has met, we can look to the medicalaccessory kit that also made that momentousjourney. In order to cope with the unique re-quirements in weightlessness, specific drugsand the proper dosage forms have been devel-oped and used.

The Apollo 11 medical accessory kit in thecommand module “Columbia” measured 5x5x8inches and contained three 45 mg cyclizine hy-drochloride injectors for motion sickness, three100 mg meperidine hydrochloride injectors forpain suppression, one two-ounce bottle of firstaid ointment, two one-ounce bottles of methyl-cellulose eye drops, three nasal sprays, twocompress bandages, 12 adhesive bandages, oneoral thermometer and four spare crew biomedi-cal harnesses for the three astronauts.

In addition, there were oral dosage formsin the medical kit. NASA took the antibiotics

ampicillin sodium and tetracycline hydrochloride(both 250 mg), 12 cyclizine hydrochloride 50 mgfor nausea, 12 dextroamphetamine sulfate 5 mg asa stimulant, 18 meperidine hydrochloride 100 mgas a pain killer, 60 decongestants (2.5 mgtriprolidine hydrochloride + 60 mg pseudoephe-drine hydrochloride), 24 anti-diarrhoeals (2.5 mgdiphenoxylate hydrochloride + 0.25 mg atropinesulfate), 21 secobarbital sodium 100 mg for sleep-ing, and 72 aspirin tablets.

The lunar module “Eagle,” carried a secondsmall medical kit which contained four stimulants,eight anti-diarrhoeals, two sleeping and four pain-killer pills, 12 aspirin tablets, one bottle of eyedrops, and two compress bandages.

References

Donatelli, L., “I farmaci nella medicina aero-spaziale,” Minerva Medica 60 (1969)

843-879.

Herrlich, K.-H., “Pharmazie und bemannter Weltraumflug,” Pharm. Ztg. 110 (1965)

1351-1354.

NASA, Apollo 11 Press Kit. http://www.ksc.nasa.gov/history/apollo/apollo-11/apollo-

11-info.html.

Perry, C.J., “Drugs in aerospace medicine,” Clin. Pharmacol. Therap. 6 (1965) 771-

787.

Sharpe, M. R., Living in Space (New York 1969), p. 69.

Staiger, C., “Neils kleiner Schritt aus pharmazeutischer Sicht,” Pharm. Ztg. 144

(1999) 2347-2350.

Medical Kit for the first lunar orbit mission, Apollo 8. (Photo:

NASA)

10 Apothecary’s Cabinet

Nineteenth-Century ManufacturingPromotion

by William H. Helfand

WHILE St. Jacob’s Oil wasthe product bringing in the rev-enue to the Vogeler Company, ad-vertising was the driving force inits success. Like many similarnineteenth-century firms, Vogelerspent more on promotion than itdid on manufacturing. One entirefloor in its four-story building onWest Lombard Street in Balti-more housed the advertising of-fices, and there was a special 90 x50 foot area totally devoted to thefiling and control of newspapers.This room contained 10,000 pi-geon-holes, each noting thename of the paper. Every is-sue of each newspaper inwhich advertisements ap-peared was examined,marked, entered, and filed.

As an illustrated articlein the 26 March 1881 issueof Scientific Americannoted, “A corps of ladyclerks are engaged in thisspecial service, under the su-pervision of a gentleman oflong experience in such

matters. All derelictions on thepart of the advertising papersare reported to the manager,who at once presents his com-plaint to the paper in fault.” Ob-viously, the Vogeler firm feltsuch detail to be important, forthey devoted the same meticu-lous attention to all their com-mercial correspondence. Theykept a set of twenty-two largebooks containing data on morethan 12,000 accounts, in a spe-cially constructed safe. Andthey prided themselves on the

fact that every letter and everycontract was dictated to stenog-raphers by the manager, thuskeeping all the vast correspon-dence under the control of asingle executive. “In its magni-tude, conception, system andoriginality, it is vastly superiorto anything of the kind inAmerica,” was the conclusionof a Chicago publication, butother proprietary medicine com-panies engaged in similar ac-tivities if not in precisely thesame style.

No. 4 11

COLLECTOR’S CORNER

WANTED: Pfizer products. ContactRich DiCicco at Technology CatalystsInternational Pharmacy Museum,(703)531-0244.

FOR SALE: Great Moments in Phar-macy prints (with descriptions). Parke-Davis, 1967, $40.00. Pharmacy: An Il-

lustrated History, Cowen and Helfand,$50.00. Contact Paul Wherry, 20 WestNorth Street, Worthington, OH 43085.

FOR SALE: Pharmacy MuseumMemorabilia, late 18th Centurythrough mid 20th Century. Includes20 gallon Red Wing crock used atStricker’s Drug Store (Latrobe, PA),soda fountain (David Stricker createdthe Banana Split), and a pestle used onthe Peary Expedition when the NorthPole was discovered. Elegant fixtures(1850) from a Scotland pharmacy.$95,000 or a reasonable offer. Willsell memorabilia and fixtures sepa-rately but memorabilia must go first.Jacob L. Grimm, 209 S. Market St.,Ligonier, PA 15658 (724) 238-6893; e-mail grimm209@helicon.net

FOR SALE: Paracelsus (1490-1541),The Hermetic and Alchemical (Works)

Writings of Paracelsus, ed. Arthur Ed-ward Waite (London: J. Elliott & Co.,1894). 2 vols. Kathleen Grange (562)424-0900.

FOR SALE: One-hundred-year-oldhistorical pharmacy documents con-taining historical signatures. A Doctorin Pharmacy certificate issued toEphraim Shaw Tyler in 1902 andsigned by Joseph P. Remington andHenry Kraemer and others, and issuedby the Philadelphia College of Phar-macy. Also available is a certificate ofelection issued to Ephraim Shaw Tylerby the Alumni Association of the

* * * * *

The AIHP brings together those who

wish to buy, sell, or trade artifacts

or books related to the history of

pharmacy. Free classified advertis-

ing is available to members ($5.00 a

line to non-members). Send copy to

Apothecary’s Cabinet, AIHP, 777

Highland Ave, Madison, WI 53705,

or NOTES@aihp.org.

Philadelphia College of Pharmacy in1902. Both are well-framed. CharlesR. Weiss at (330)633-4342 orCWEISS@juno.com.

FOR SALE: Own a piece of the fi-nancial history of the drug, chemical,pharmaceutical and health care com-panies. Stock/Bond certificates (can-celed) are both history and an artform.Most priced under $7.00 each. SendSASE for list. Interested in buyingsimilar items. Wayne Segal, Box 181,Runnemede, NJ 08078. e-mailWaynePharm@aol.com

GOOD HEALTH TO ALL FROM

REXALL! I collect anything madefor The Rexall Store. Especially wantearly consumer products and phar-macy items manufactured by theUnited Drug Company (1903-46, Bos-ton). Also Rexall AD-VANTAGESmagazines, calendars, almanacs, pho-tos, and other franchise and advertis-ing materials. United Drug brands:Puretest, Firstaid, Elkay, Kantleek,Jonteel, Liggett’s, Fenway, Harmony(cosmetics), Electrex (appliances), OldColony (inks), Klenzo, etc. Whathave you? Frank Sternad, P.O. Box560, Fulton, CA 95439; (707) 546-3106, e-mail fasternad@iscweb.com

WANTED: Apothecary jars, mortars& pestles and pharmacy memorabiliaincluding advertising cards, displays,cabinets, etc. Please call (602) 443-9358, fax (602) 443-0185 or write Ed-ward Saksenhaus, 8430 E. AppaloosaTr., Scottsdale, AZ 85258.

FOR SALE: Apothecary Antiques in-cluding drug jars, apothecary bottles,manufacturing tools, medical instru-ments including leech jar and variousdental items; books dealing with the

WANTED: Show globes, fancy apoth-ecary bottles, porcelain jars, trade catalogs,window pieces, patent medicines, and ad-vertising. Mart James, 487 Oakridge Rd.,Dyersburg, TN 38024; (901) 286-2025;e-mail: kjames@usit.net

WANTED: Books & journals on Phar-macy (pre-1920), Pharmacognosy,Herbal/Botanic Medicine, Eclectic &Thomsonian Medicine, Phytochemis-try, & Ethnobotany. I will purchaseone title or entire libraries. DavidWinston, Herbalist & AlchemistBooks, P.O. Box 553, Broadway, NJ08808, (908) 835-0822, fax: (908)835-0824, e-mail: dwherbal@nac.net

WANTED: Pharmacy antiques 1950sand before. Old medicine bottles Rxor OTC, tins, vials and related items.USP 1990 with NF. Contact Dr. EarlMindell (310) 550-0161 or fax (310)550-1150.

FOR SALE: E.R. Squibb antiquepharmaceutical medicine bottles, tins,vials, and related items. I haveapprox. 400 items (1900-1960). Alsohave antique clock, signs, and maga-zines. Would like to sell custom madeoak cabinet. Prefer to sell collectionas a whole. Call Dennis Bailey (847)451-0283.

above subjects available, cataloguesissued. Always buying similar itemsor collections. John S. Gimesh, MD.,202 Stedman St., Fayetteville, NC28305; (910) 484-2219.

12 Apothecary’s Cabinet

CommentaryEditor’s Note: The following essay by William Zellmer appeared in the March 1984 issue of the American

Journal of Hospital Pharmacy. Recently a selection of Zellmer’s editorials were collated into the volume, TheConscience of a Pharmacist: Essays on Vision and Leadership for a Profession (Bethesda: American Society ofHealth-System Pharmacists, 2002). These short pieces provide an honest assessment of the state of the profes-sion during the 1980s and 1990s. The essay reprinted below (with minor editing) captures well Zellmer’sfrank and optimistic style.

HISTORYMarch 1984

Yes. They’ll forget. For such is our fate; there’s no help for it. That which to us

seems serious, significant, of the utmost importance—the time will come, and it

will be forgotten, or will seem of no importance whatsoever. And—this is inter-

esting— we can’t at all tell now just what, precisely, will be considered exalted,

important, and what will be considered pathetic, ludicrous. For instance, didn’tthe discoveries of Copernicus or, lets say, of Columbus, seem at first unneces-

sary, ludicrous, while some empty-headed twaddle, written by some crackpot or

other, seemed to be the eternal truth? And it can come to pass that our life today,

to which we reconcile ourselves so, will in time seem strange, cumbersome, stu-

pid, far from clean—even sinful, perhaps—

—Chechov, The Three Sisters

historian—are no less importantfor pharmacy than for the rest ofsociety. Many issues relevant tocontemporary pharmacists cannotbe fully understood without his-torical perspective. Solutions tomany of the problems pharmacyfaces may remain elusive withoutknowing the critical events ortrends that shaped them.

History shows us how thebroad sweep of thinking and de-velopments in the world at largehave affected fields like phar-macy. For example, in [his ar-ticle, “Pharmacy and Free-dom”], David Cowen presents asuperb treatise on how the con-cept of individual liberty hasshaped the character of phar-macy practice in Western civili-zation.2

More parochial examplesof the value of history can becited. For instance, if we under-stand the factors that precipi-tated the large influx of pharma-cists into hospital practice overthe past 15 years or so, wemight be able to project moreintelligently what effects cur-rent economic and technologicchanges in health care may haveon where and how pharmacistspractice in the future. By under-

MUCH can be gained from a study of the past, including an appre-ciation for how quickly “truth” may turn to twaddle. If we reflecton our own lives, we can probably recall once-cherished notions orobjects that are utterly unimportant today. Looking at our profes-sion, we can wonder which of its sacrosanct philosophies and prac-tices will still be revered by pharmacists two or three generationshence. And does pharmacy have its counterparts to Copernicus andColumbus, reviled now only to be extolled at a later time?

In the evolution of human endeavors such as the profession ofpharmacy, there are important stories to tell. When these stories fil-ter the time-tested from the trivial, they help explain why thingsare as they are. They tell us what blend of fate and willful deeds ofmen and women brought us to our current state. In this knowledge,we take comfort, find purpose for ourselves, and are inspired tobuild on the best of what has gone before.

Amidst the pressures and details of daily existence, we allyearn for those precious moments of reflection on the life’s coursewe follow. When pharmacists search for deeper meanings in theirprofessional lives, the work of the pharmacy historian can be ofimmense value. As Glenn Sonnedecker has written, “A naturalbridge between the humanistic and the technical is formed by theprofession’s own history, which seems essential to an adequate un-derstanding and philosophy of the pharmacist’s role in society.”1

Documenting early events, assessing their importance, andputting the present in perspective with the past—the tasks of the

No. 4 13

standing the transformation of hospitals fromalmshouses to health-care centers, we might bet-ter appreciate the scope of changes that could bebrought about by the current pressures for out-of-hospital treatment. Indeed, might “hospitalpharmacist” become a misnomer for our profes-sional descendants who may find themselves ap-plying their best drug-control and clinical skillsin a variety of settings only remotely related tohospitals as we know them today?

We are fortunate to have an organizationthat is devoted to preserving and interpreting theheritage of pharmacy in the United States.Founded in 1941, the American Institute of theHistory of Pharmacy (AIHP) has an active pro-gram of publications (including an excellentquarterly journal), meetings, and other activitiesdesigned to stimulate historical work and to pre-serve the records of American pharmacy. An in-dividual membership organization comprising

practicing pharmacists and historians alike,AIHP merits wider support from all segments ofthe profession, including hospital pharmacy. . . .Pharmacy has a rich heritage that merits preser-vation and thoughtful analysis. We who havebeen blessed with a home in pharmacy have anobligation to support this work, including the ef-forts of the American Institute of the History ofPharmacy.

1. Glenn Sonnedecker, rev., Kremers and Urdang’s History of Pharmacy (Phila-

delphia: Lippincott, 1976), p. vii.

2. David L. Cowen, “Pharmacy and Freedom,” American Journal of Hospital

Pharmacy 41 (1984): 459-467.

What is it?

A Practical Sponge Holder

“How properly to keep anddisplay the stock of sponges in adrug store has always been one ofthose unsolved questions which pe-rennially rise up to perplex the

tradesman. Many devices havebeen proposed, but none seems topossess the elements of practica-bility as the one here pictured andwhich has lately been proposed byMr. Theodore Doench in theMonatsblatt des New YorkerDeutschen Apotheker-Vereins.The accompanying illustrationreadily speaks for itself. The wire-baskets, easily attached to anycloset door, are completely out ofthe way; the goods, while fullydisplayed through the glass fronts,are protected from dust, and canbe conveniently got at when mak-ing sales. It is evident that forsmaller sponges several tiers ofbaskets could be attached to onedoor. Mr. W. K. Forsyth of Chi-cago has in use an almost similararrangement.” (Western Druggist,August 1895, p. 320.)

AIHP StudentMembership

Students can join the AmericanInstitute of the History of Phar-macy at the special rate of $20,instead of the regular $50. Eventhough the rates are reduced, the

benefits are the same:

•subscription to Pharmacy in History,

with research articles placing phar-macy in historical perspective

•Apothecary’s Cabinet, with informa-tion for collectors as well as com-pact articles covering broad histori-cal topics, and interestinganecdotes

•pharmaco-historical calendar to puton the wall in your office

•40% discount on materials in our pub-lications catalog—some of whichare books used in pharmacycourses

•the benefits of understanding the longand respected history of your pro-fession

Join today by sending a check to:AIHP, 777 Highland Ave., Madi-son, WI 53705, or calling to placea credit card order (608)262-5378.Don’t forget to include your ship-ping address and year of gradua-tion.

14 Apothecary’s Cabinet

Drachms & ScruplesTerms according to the Encyclopedia of Pharmaceutical Technology, Dekker, 2001*[A few common words used uncommonly within the field of pharmacy.]

*Robert A. Buerki and Gregory J. Higby, “His-tory of Dosage Forms and Basic Preparations,”Encyclopedia of Pharmaceutical Technology,Dekker, 2001.

Pearls. Round or oval capsules made by enclosing liquids, solids, or tablets in ashell of glycerogelatin material. Pearls are less elastic than soft capsules andcontain no air space, the glycerogelatin shell being completely filled with themedicinal substance. Pharmacists made pearls extemporaneously by laying asoftened sheet of glycerogelatin over a warmed molding plate containing aspecified number of semicircular (or other shaped) depressions. The sheetwas covered with a measured quantity of medicinal liquid, and the liquid witha second sheet of glycerogelatin to exclude air. The whole assembly was cov-ered with a matching molding plate, and compressed with a mechanical pressto form the pearls, an exacting and time-consuming process requiring specialapparatus. This process has been superseded in industry by a continuous auto-mated process in which a liquid is injected between two ribbons of gelatinwhile passing between revolving dies.

Milks. Historically, any liquid that possesses the outward appearance of milk, suchas milk of magnesia. Legend holds that the class of beauty preparations calledtoilet milks may have arisen from Cleopatra and her milk baths. The modernmilks are oil-in-water emulsions, named for their appearance and use as addi-tives to baths. Moreover, actual milk was used and modified, especially withthe addition of malt, as a medicinal beverage. Fermented Milk, or kumyss, isfresh cow’s milk, to which sugar and yeast are added for fermentation. Fer-mented milk was official in the 3rd through the 5th edition of the National

Formulary (1906–1926). Humanized Milk was a combination of cow’s milkand fresh cream, plus Humanizing Milk Powder, which contained a smallamount of Compound Pancreatic Powder and lactose, made official in Na-

tional Formulary III (1906).

Magmas. In modern pharmacy, an aque-ous preparation containing precipi-tated inorganic material in a finestate of subdivision. MagmaBismuthi and Magma Magnesiae(milk of magnesia) were the firstofficial magmas in the United States

Pharmacopoeia IX (1916). In the19th century and previous eras, thisterm referred to the residue obtainedafter expressing organic substancesto extract their fluid parts, usuallyreferred to as a marc.

Pencils. Cylinders used in dermatologicpractice to apply medicinal agentsdirectly to the skin. The medicinalagent is incorporated into a pasteconsisting of starch, dextrin, traga-canth, and sucrose with sufficientwater to form a plastic mass, whichis rolled into cylinders about 5 mmin diameter, cut into sections about5 cm long, dried on parchment pa-per at room temperature, andwrapped in tinfoil. Medicated pen-cils intended as a caustic applica-tion, such as sticks of silver nitrate,are sometimes referred to asescharotica. Salicylic Acid Pencils,the last official medicated pencils,appeared in the National Formulary

V (1926); also known as Antisep-tic, Astringent, Caustic, Salve, orStyptic Pencils.

No. 4 15

100 Years Ago

75 Years Ago

50 Years Ago

25 Years Ago

EDITED BY GREG HIGBY

A Backward Glance atAmerican Pharmacy

“Aspirin, or acetyl salicylic acid, is prepared by the action of acetic anhydride on salicylic acid.Floeckiger (Jour. Am. Med. Assoc.) finds it a reliable substitute for salicylate of soda, being more agree-able to take and disturbing the stomach less, while its effects are not less marked. It is not split up into itscomponents until it reaches the intestines, except in cases of extreme gastric acidity. In physiologic dosesthe uncomfortable effects of salicylate of soda, such as tinnitus, etc., do not occur. He gives it preferablyin 15 grain [975 mg.] doses, in wafers, and he has had excellent results in dry pleurisy, acute rheumatism,and polyarthritis. He concludes that aspirin is a valuable substitute for salicylate of sodium for the follow-ing reasons: Its agreeable taste; its freedom from irritating effects on the stomach; the absence of tinnitusaurium after administration of physiologic doses; the absence of cardiac depression; the fact that it doesnot impair the appetite, even during prolonged use.” (Western Druggist, March 1901, p. 132.)

“A few years ago, a deplorable situation existed, when a number of supposed pharmacies were simply ablind for the bootlegging activities of their proprietors. At that time the medical profession joined with thereputable pharmacists to procure legislative relief, and the bootleg drug store, as it was called, has disap-peared. The bootlegging doctor and druggist have not entirely passed, however, and it is up to the betterelement in both professions to exert every possible pressure to bring the recalcitrants to account. The co-operation of the medical and pharmaceutical professions for the abolition of the bootleg drug store sug-gests another field where the influence of our two groups might profitably by joined in the interests of thegeneral welfare. Most of the legislation introduced which is inimical to the physicians of the state wouldalso strike a blow at the druggists. Certainly it is as important to the pharmacists as to the doctors that thedrugless healers be defeated in their attempts to obtain licensure. When these measures come up, pharma-cists should not sit back disinterestedly and let the entire burden fall on medical shoulders. You would suf-fer from such legislation as well as the doctors and public at large, and it is up to you to help fight it.”(American Druggist, January 1927, p. 23.)

“Out of 51,747 drug stores in the United States, exactly 484 are operated on a completely self-service ba-sis. Representing the first accurate nation-wide picture of self-service in the retail drug trade, this figureof 484 stores was established in a survey just completed by American Druggist. The survey covered theentire country, and was conducted with the help of wholesalers, chains, state pharmaceutical associationsecretaries, and state pharmacy board secretaries. For purposes of the survey, a self-service drug storewas defined as one in which practically all merchandise—except, of course, for the prescription depart-ment and the fountain—is sold on a self-service basis. In a few of the stores included among the 484,self-service does not apply to high priced cosmetics and gift items, or to Rx and the fountain. Of thenation’s 484 self-service drug stores, more than half are located in the three Pacific coast states of Cali-fornia, Oregon and Washington.” (American Druggist, February 18, 1952, p. 5.)

“Congress has been asked by the Carter administration to decriminalize possession of marijuana. Such amove had been expected—but it came as something of a surprise that, at the same time, Peter G. Bourne,head of the White House Office of Drug Abuse Policy, told a special House narcotics committee the ad-ministration is “ reexamining” its stand on cocaine. This could mean asking Congress to remove criminalpenalties from possession of cocaine as well as marijuana. So far, all the government is specifically ask-ing is that possession of small amounts of marijuana be made a civil offense, subject only to a fine ratherthan harsher criminal sanctions.” (American Druggist, May 1977, p. 10.)

16 Apothecary’s Cabinet

Non-Profit Org.U.S. Postage

PAIDMadison, Wisconsin

Permit No. 881

from a unique agency of pharmacy

The American Institute of the History of Pharmacy

777 Highland Ave., Madison, WI 53705-2222

AIHP and APhA Plan Historic Meeting

The American Pharmaceutical Association is celebrating its 150th anniversary in 2002, and the AIHPis helping to add a healthy dose of history to an already historic meeting that takes place in Philadel-phia this year (March 15-19). Mark your calendars to not miss the historical menu for this meeting,including:

•“Trends and Events in American Pharmacy, 1852-2002” (one of the 4 Sesquicentennial Symposia, this one sponsoredby AIHP) Sunday from 2-5 pm.

•AIHP Contributed Papers podium session, Saturday (March 16) from 2-4:30 pm, and Tuesday (March 19) from 8-11am, both at the Philadelphia Marriott.

•Historical Poster Showcase, showing contributions to pharmacy over the past 150 years, located in the ExpositionHall (which is open Sunday, 17 March, 11-3; Monday 11-3, and Tuesday 8-11 am).

•Full registrants for the APhA meeting will receive their Sesquicentennial gift from APhA, 150 Years of Caring: A Picto-rial History of the American Pharmaceutical Association, a 312-page commemorative volume, as well as a copy of thesesquicentennial video tracing the pharmacist’s historical caring role from 1853 to the present, which will be shownat the Sesquicentennial Plenary Session on Saturday, 10 am to noon.