Navigation

Wisconsin Board Of Pharmacy

Ivor Griffith, who was dean of the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and chair of the American Pharmaceutical Association's section on Historical Pharmacy in 1940, took the position that it was impossible for any professional to be adequately trained unless he or she mastered the history of the chosen discipline. Griffith maintained that the study of pharmacy's history held an essential role in the curriculum, stating that "we cannot look forward to our tomorrows with hope of accomplishment unless we know our yesterdays with love and understanding."1

Museums and artifacts are a useful and interesting way for pharmacists to gain insights into the history of the practice of pharmacy, the way it developed and the artifacts that were used by its practitioners. However, full appreciation comes only from understanding how the artifacts were used and what the museum portrays; therefore, we frequently depend on labels and signage to help us understand what we view at the museums. The American Institute of the History of Pharmacy (AIHP), with its collections and services, supports the efforts of many museums and scholars to accurately identify artifacts in an effort to understand the tradition of American pharmacy. AIHP gained national stature in 1941 when it held its first annual meeting in conjunction with the American Pharmaceutical Association. As spelled out in its "Articles of Organization," one of the purposes of AIHP was to serve as the American center for research and reference on all elements of pharmacy.

From its founding, AIHP has been located with the School of Pharmacy at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. The site was selected because it held one of the foremost pharmacy library collections in the country. The vast collection was due in large part to the efforts of Edward Kremers, director of the pharmacy program from 1892 until 1935. An inveterate collector of all things pharmaceutical, Kremers amassed an enormous amount of historical documentation. He was also responsible for bringing George Urdang to Madison. Urdang was an internationally renowned pharmacy historian and an early refugee from Hitler's Germany. He served as the first director of the institute (1941-1957) and in 1947 became the first professor of the history of pharmacy in the United States. In 1940 Kremers and Urdang jointly produced the History of Pharmacy: A Guide and a Survey. Later known simply as "Kremers and Urdang's," the book is still used in history of pharmacy courses and serves as an essential reference source.

The institute is located in the new pharmacy building; its artifacts are placed throughout the structure. Two large hanging showglobes frame the entrance of the institute-a reminder that glass beacons identified pharmacists' shops from colonial days through the 20th century. A small plaque outside a conference room identifies it as the George Urdang Room in honor of the gentleman who established the discipline of the history of pharmacy in the United States. His personal books and a number of artifacts fill the bookcase along one wall. Urdang's portrait, painted by Robert Thom (of Great Moments of Pharmacy fame), is hung over his desk. Look for an antique, beehive-shaped jar labeled "Mel"; honey was an important pharmaceutical adjvivant.

Display cases in the main corridor contain a changing series of exhibits. One of the recent exhibits was a set of Dutch Hobbel jars that Professor Kremers commissioned before World War II. These exquisite earthenware containers are labeled in blue lettering slightly reminiscent of Delftware. Another exhibit contains a set of laboratory specimens prepared by pharmacy students in 1890. The jars are labeled in elegant handwriting, and the tops are still covered with paper caps secured with pharmacy knots.

The Kremers Reference Files (over 700 file drawers) fill a large area from floor to ceiling. An illuminated mortar stands by the entrance. This twenty-one-inch-high mortar is covered with multifaceted glass studs and was once lit from the interior with coal oil and later with gas. Cabinets filled with pharmacy artifacts are located throughout the room. One of the more unusual items is a complete Parke-Davis and Company cabinet of materia medica samples. These small tin boxes have a glass window in the lid for visitors to view the contents. The specimens were used by students to learn the botanicals and their parts, the mainstay of therapeutics throughout the early part of the 20th century. However, the real treasure in this room is the material located in the file drawers. Here you can find the photo files of Drug Topics from approximately 1940 to 1970. These were donated a number of years ago and frequently provide images that grace the cover of the institute's journal, Pharmacy in History. As might be imagined, the contents of the files range from the type of distribution (community pharmacies), competitors (dispensing physicians), biographies, and materia medica to symbols and containers. There is also a large collection of wholesalers' and manufacturers' catalogs, an essential tool for identification and dating of many pharmacy artifacts.

The institute also has a number of archival collections. For example, there are the papers of Robert Fischelis, an educator, board of pharmacy official, executive in the War Production Board during World War II and secretary of the American Pharmaceutical Association. The institute also holds the archives of many pharmacy associations and related organizations, which include the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy, the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy and the United States Pharmacopeia. These records are physically stored at the Wisconsin Historical Society located in the middle of the main University campus.

Today AIHP is American pharmacy's historical society. All who are interested in the heritage of the profession are welcome to join and participate in the activities of the institute.

Although visitors to Madison will find it a true treasure trove of pharmaceutical information, Madison is also a dynamic university town that offers the visitor plenty of sights to see and things to do. A favorite pastime is to end the work day on the terrace of the Student Union, which overlooks a lake.

Wish you were here.

Reference

1. Griffith I. Chairmen's address. Journal of the American Pharmaceutical Association Scientific Edition 1941; 30: 453-464.

Dennis B. Worthen, PhD

Lloyd Scholar

Lloyd Library and Museum

Cincinnati, Ohio

Address correspondence to: Dennis B. Worthen, PhD, The Lloyd Library and Museum, 917 Plum Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202. E-mail: dbworthen@fuse.net

Copyright International Journal of Pharmaceutical Compounding Sep/Oct 2004
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved