Evening star., 1934-04-29

to its meetings. At the head Of the stairs. a
the second floor, is the nucleus of a medical
museum which some day may prove Of tho
greatest value, If it is kept up and added to- It
is thoroughly up-to-date and a credit to the
society, whose present officers are: President.
Prentiss Wilson; first vice president, Daniel
LIE Ray Borden; second vice president, Margaret
M Nicholson; secretary-treasurer, Coursen B.
Conklin. Mrs. Prentiss Wilson is president Of
the Womans Auxiliary to the Medical Society.
But about the busiest man just now Is DR..
Herbert p. Ramsey who is chairman of the
subcommittee publicity of the committee on
arrangements for the forthcoming Annual Sci
entific Assembly, to be held next wednesday
and Thursday.
IS BEFORE stated, there were few of the
early physicians who were not pharmacists
and it is not unusual to find them serving IN
both capacities The first drug store in this
city, according to an old item, was that opened
by Frederick Miller, somewhere between William
Kings and Lear g. Co.'S wharf, early in 1895.
and it Is probable that here was displayed the
customary gilt mortar and pestle and the coll
ored red and green robes in the windows which
were universally used up to at least 80 years ago.
but which now seem to have entirely disap-
peared. As we look back to our childhood We
recall seeing at night these colored globes at q
considerable distance. with the kerosene oil
lamp or the gas light placed behind them to
show them up to the best advantage. Today
we have to read the sign the building in
order to tell an apothecary shop from any other
store.
DR.. John Bulls kept a drug store at Seventh
and L streets southeast; DR.. Elisha Harrison
conducted a similar business at Fourteenth
street and Pennsylvania avenue; while David
~ L1t-, T,,.&I-
Tenth streets. John Duckworth was for a while
on New Jersey avenue and later moved to Penn
sylvania avenue; J. A Brereton, Thomas Webb,
William Guntcn, Thomas Webb & Co., Robert
and j P Ellis and C. F. Wiltach were also on
the Avenue. Clark & Gunnell had pharmacy
New Jersey avenue, which later was con-
Quoted by William H. Gunnen
Joel Wright in the Seven Buildings sue
ceeded by Peter Seyne. In 1920 Nathaniel
Jewett came over from Georgetown and took
over DR.. Harrison's store at Fourteenth and the
Avenue
About 1910 A. j. Swartz had pharmacy at
Third street and Pennsylvania avenue. Indeed,
the Avenue at this time -,ell supplied with
drug stores S. R. Patterson, who succeeded
Gunton at Ninth street, was in turn succeeded
by ]. W. Nairn; E. Engelhard was on the Ave-
nue., as were Michael Dulaney, F. w. Fuller,
Thomas P. Morgan and Wallace Kirkwood,
while D. S. Clark at Eleventh street and
Maryland avenue; J. F. Callan Seventh and
streets northwest; v. Harbaugh, Seventh and
G streets, and in the southeast section were Mrs.
Clark and Joseph Walsh.
NNE could hardly write a story of the
~ Medical Society and its early work without
mentioning at least two men who have done
much to preserve its history. One is DR.. Joseph
Meredith Toner, first president Of the Columbia
Historical Society, and the other Samuel Clagett
Busey. DR.. Toner'S work was more extensive,
as his private collection of books and papers in
the Library Of Congress will show, but DR.. Busey
did some very fine work. too, and the time he
devoted to his "reminiscences will prove of last
ing value to those studying the history Of the
District Of Columbia. Others besides these have
done good work, but reference to them cannot
be made at this time.