Pennsylvania Hospital and The Apothecary ~ Julie Lence

wikipedia

           Ye olde Apothecary. Alan Jackson mentions it in his song, Little Man, referring to something from yesteryear that’s no longer in existence today. For many of us, the term ‘yesteryear’ hints to the 1700 or 1800’s, but the first apothecary originated in 754 AD in Baghdad and was operated by chemistry founder, Jaber Ibn Hayyan. Fast forward to the Grocers, a delivery company in London, whose roots extend back to the Guild of Pepperers circa in 1180. The Spicers joined the Guild of Pepperers in 1316, and by 1428, the Pepperers were wholesale merchant traders dealing en gros (where we get the term grocer), and established the Worshipful Company of Grocers.  (During the thirteenth century, apothecary acquired another definition as the person who sold these items from his shop or street cart. The term en gros describes a person or company who buys in bulk.)

The Grocers were located in Bucklersbury. They had plenty of shops to store and sell their spices, confectionery, perfumes, wines, herbs and drugs. The spice trade and the development of the pharmacy were dependent on each other, leading to the opening of spicer apothecaries. By the mid-16^th century, the spicer apothecaries were today’s version of a Walgreen’s pharmacy, with each shop owner regarded as a highly valued medical professional.

Pennsylvania Hospital
wikipedia

One of the first apothecaries in a United States hospital was created at the nation’s first hospital, Pennsylvania Hospital (PAH). In order to better serve their patients medicinal needs, PAH looked for ways to expand, which included incorporating their own apothecary. Founded in 1751, construction of the 3 sections in the Pine Building depended solely on donations from the wealthy, and took roughly 50 years to join the east wing to the west wing and to the dome shaped center where surgeries were performed on the upper floor. The main floor of the dome was the Great Court, housing administrative offices, living quarters for employees and servants, and the Apothecary. PAH co-founder, Thomas Bond, petitioned the Board of Managers for the Apothecary, urging them to contact their associates in England for a person highly qualified in Chemistry and able to manage a small laboratory but not required to diagnose illness or treat wounds, and bring him to the hospital as quickly as possible. The board approved Bond’s request for an apothecary, and by the end of the 18^th century, they expanded the apothecary to keep up with an influx of patients by hiring William Gardner as an apprentice in the lab. (It is worth noting that many apothecaries did not attend medical school. They learned their job through apprenticeships.)  In 1808, another request was sent to the board to further expand the apothecary, this time explaining surgeons required another person to help because of another increase in patients. The request was honored, with the board relocating the apothecary to a bigger area, and later expanding the dispensing of medicine to employees as well as patients.

Other well-known cities to house apothecaries were Boston, New York, Philadelphia, and what is now Kingston, New York where Gysbert van Imbroch had a general store that sold medicine from 1663-1665. As with the earlier shops in London, many of these stores also sold general goods, perfumes, cosmetics, and assorted drinks.  But while the apothecary was fast gaining ground in eastern U.S.A., it wasn’t until the late 1840’s that ‘druggists’ and apothecaries hit the western part of the country. Most of them had never studied science or medicine, and doctor was not their only profession. Dr. William B. Osborn is credited with opening the first ‘drug store’ in Los Angeles, but he handed the business to Dr. James McFarland and John Gately Downey. McFarland and Downey’s store was actually run by Dr. Alexander Hope, another ‘druggist’, as Downey had previously apprenticed in Washington, D.C, and upon arriving in California turned his attention to politics. By 1856, both Downey and McFarland had left their store.             

PAH Pharmacy
Pennmedicine.org

  As was the practice of other apothecaries, PAH’s apothecary not only gave out medicines to patients, but also sold soaps, candles and tobacco, and continues to sell a variety of items, with the apothecary ( pharmacist) more essential to a patient’s care than in the past. Today, PAH’s Outpatient pharmacy is located in a different building and has a team of 15 members to fill more than 72,000 prescriptions yearly, as well as provide follow-up calls, give immunizations shots, and ensure patients are comfortable with their medication regimens. The original apothecary had been renovated into office space for hospital administrator and president Robert Cathcart until his 1991 retirement. Today, it’s a conference room with a view of the hospital grounds.  In 1997, the board decided to merge with the University of Pennsylvania Health System. In 200, the hospital celebrated it’s 250^th anniversary and on June 22, 1965, it was dedicated a National Historical Landmark.