Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-05-16
CHANGES IN METHODS
DRUG BUSINESS NOW CONTRAsTED
WITH HALF CENTURY AGO.
VIZ OWE MUCH TO SCIENCES.
The Medicines of To-Day More valu-
able because More Reliable and
Much More Easily Prcparcd-Inter-
estinE "Reminiscences.


one of the best-known OF Rlchmond's
druggists. prepared. at the instance OF
the Richmond Druggists Association,
paper on the business OF the pharmacist
and druggist as conducted in Richmond
over a half century ago in contrast with
the methods OF to-day. The paper is
highly interesting as showing the adj
vance of science in the period of fifty
odd years, and is here given in full:
Richmond had In 1910 a population OF
about 5000 inhabitants. 1t now has QS96)
about 100000. There were In 1910 ten or
twelve drugstores in the city, according
TO my memory. They were conducted by
John ii. Eustace & Co., Samuel L. Adie &
Co.. James McKildo. Alexander Duval,
Peyton Johnston, o. A. Strecker. DR..
James Blair. under the management OF
Mr.. Andrew Leslie, Grubbs & Apperson,
Gaynor o. Wood, Robert X. Duyal, and
possibly some others.
Mr.. John Purcell, then living with Alex
ander Duval, was given an interest in the
business during that year, and the firm
style changed to Alexander Duval & CO.
Later on 1t was changed TO Duval & Pur-
cell. and still later on Mr.. Purcell left Mr..
Duval. the firm having dissolved, and
established. in connection, with his
brother. Mr.. James p Purcell, and Mr.
BENJAMIN +. Laid, the present firm OF
Purcell. Ladd &, Co. In 1910 there was no
drugstore higher up on Main street than
that OF Robert X. Duval, situated at the
corner of Eleventh and Main streets, and
all of the firms mentioned were on Main
street. except DR.. James Blair and Grubbs
IL Apperson. which were on Broad street.
Now. 1896, Richmond can boast of eighty
drngstores. OF those who is 1910 were pro-
Drietors of drugstores, none are now liv-
ing except Mr.. Jackson b. Wood, once
Of the firm of Gaynor d. Wood, who Is in
the S0th year of his age.
WHAT DRUGGISTS CARRIED THEN.
Two of the drugstores mentioned were
wholesale stores. They were John II.
Eustace & Co. and Samuel F. Adie *
Co.. both Of them on Main street below
Fourteenth. Not only was the stock car
ried by druggists at that time very DIFF
ferent from that OF the present day, but
business was conducted in a different
manner. Most Of the stock of the whole
sale druggists. and also that OF some OF
the retail, was purchased in Philadelphia
and New York, and brought to the city
in sailing vessels. A large portion OF the
stock consisted OF indigo. dye-woods, and
other crude dye stuffs, together with such
ing 0he country people in those days did
all of their dyeing themselves). putty,
paints, and oils, with all house-painterS'
materials; also, sperm-oil, for lamps and
illuminating purposes kerosene was un-
known then. and gas had not been intro
duced here. also. tobacco and cigars.
There were no tobacco and cigar stores,
or mineral-water stores. in those days
OF course. all drugstores were well
stocked with what are known as family
.tr1. ill colt 20
blue mass. calomel, quinine. essence pep
permint, paregoric, &c, and also the pro-
prietary medicines Of the day, such as
Sand Sarparilla" Gnstead of Hoods"
as now. Jayne's EXpectorant, and his
other preparat lions. Brandreths and other
quack pills Of the day. opodeldoc, Judkin' $
Ointment. Turlngton's Balsam, Godfrey 3
Cordial. &c. And at that TIME the drug
gists had quite monopoly in the sale
Of spices and picking materials. The
druggists had monopoly, too. in the sale
Of perfumery and toilet articles. Also In
mineral-spring waters. among which those
OF the Virginia White Sulphur Springs.
the Rockbridge Alum Springs. and the
waters OF Saratoga Springs were the most
prominent domestic waters. The lithia
waters had not then come into promi-
hence. and were not on the market. The
druggists. having the exclusive control OF
the cigar trade, retailed fine Habana
cigars, which now cost $50 per thou
sand. for less than our ordinary
domestic cigars now sell for.
HAVE COME IN USE SINCE.
So much for the then condition Of the
drug business. which constitutes the mer-
camille side of the profession OF a drug
gist and pharmacist Scientific pharmacy.
as compared with that Of the present
day. was then in swaddling clothes. SYM
thetical chemistry had scarcely entered
the domain Of pharmacy. and such rene
dies as phenacetne, antipyrine, and other
synthetical preparations. so commonly
In use by medical practitioners now. were
then unknown. 1t is true that morphia-
quinia, and some other alkaloids. and
proximate principles OF vegetable or or
ganic origin. and developed in nature 8
laboratory. had been eliminated by the
application of chemical science and skill.
and were extensively in use. But carbolic
acid and the large number of products
resulting from the discovery of petroleum
were still awaiting orders from the inves-
tigating chemist. and were unknown 10
the medical world. Having noted what
a comparatively limited field the pharma-
cist had in the matter of chemical RENE
dies. we now come to compare the phar-
maceutical preparations which graced the
shelves of the aDothecarles IN those days.
At that time Galenical pharmacy was
still In the ascendant, and the wave OF
scientific pharmacy, which was just be,
ginning TO rise above the horizon. had
infusions, and decoctions of those days
were not scientific preparations, and the
processes then employed. which were en-
trely empirical. have had 10 give plict
TO the scientific processes of the present
day AS type of the processes then en-
plOyed in making tinctures ] would cite
tincture Of opium. In making this tine
ture, the opium was cut in slices. placed
in a bottle, and the prescribed amount OF
diluted alcohol added. Then, the bottle
frtlf RI xtsa11
shaken every day for two weeks
after which time the filtered contents
OF the bottle was considered properly
made laudanum. Any one knowing that
the therapeutic value of laudanum de-
pends upon the amount of morphia con
tanned I'm each fluid ounce. and asking the
manufacturer the percentage of morphi;
IN his laudanum. would necessarily be
told that he did not know. But now. the
pharmacist Of to-day can furnish q
strictly reliable tincture OF opium IN
forty-eight hours. when In 1910 1t took
two weeks TO furnish laudanum. which
was entirely unreliable. The manufac'
ture Of naregoric was subject 10 the
same conditions. and was made still more
unscienthc by the addition Of red Saun
ders 10 color II. Thus YOU have a sne-
cinen Of the Galenical pharmacy Of 1910
or. as L might be termed, the pharmacy
of ignorance.
THE PROCESS OF PERCOLATION.
And, vet until pharmacy and its pro-
cesses were improved by the X-rays Of
chemistry being turned upon them. re-
sulting in such methods as percolatlor
for extraction. and other methods FOL
concentration rehabilitation, etc. anC
alkaloidal determination. the medical
profession had TO submit to this uncer-
tanty in administering powerfully toxic
remedies. and the patients had To take
all the risks. The introduction Of the
af parOOla fiNn disbursement.
was q most important step In the direc
ton OF rcientiic pharmacy. and led &c
the prenaration of fluid extracts. elixirs
and other medicinal preparations by
which the active therapeutic properties
Of remedies OF an organic character
could be presented in a concentrated
form, and thus render II unnecessary To
load ones stomach with large quantities
OF inert material. in order TO get the
benefit OF a small norton Of the bulk con.