Urbanization had a major effect on the progression of pharmacy in the 19th century. Factors such as heightened migration, rapid urbanization, new opportunities and the transformation of advertisement led to the development of the professionalized pharmacy field. As a result, there was an influx of drugstores being opened and advertisements being published. Because urbanization occurred so quickly in America during the 19th century, there was a lack in policy which prompted the regulation of the practice and standards for the field.
During the 19th century, the United States experienced an increased number of people moving toward into the city. With this heightened migration came filth and epidemics which terrorized the public. As a result, many were looking for ways to combat these rising issues which could only be answered with the development of the pharmacy profession. According to the
Illinois Edu., the United States experienced an “expansion of medical education.” The pharmacy field transformed from physicians, “few and far,” who were prescribing and compounding their own medicines to many apprentices who began to take night classes on chemical instruction. An article on
Britannica also said that, “physician training underwent major changes in pharmacy.”
Illinois Edu. also addressed the “founding of the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy” which led to the founding of several other colleges in various states. This gave birth to the first generation of educated pharmacists, in hopes to advance the field and find answers to the health problems created by city life.
As a result of the heightened migration into the city, 19th century cities experienced rapid urbanization. This led to an increased danger of disease and plague brought on by improper disposal of waste and poor air quality. Many in the city were concerned with these health conditions prompting the “emergence of American drugstores.”
Illinois Edu. reported that during the 1850s the “retail pharmacy sector exploded” especially in the number of drugstores being established, where consumers could now go to a shop and browse for drugs, an innovation during the 19th centuries similar to the development of department stores. These rising number of drugstores were a product of the ability for “anyone with the capital and courage” to open a drugstore which resulted in the exponential growth of pharmacists and the significant decrease in the quality of prescriptions.
The number of drugstores wasn’t the only form of selling drugs in 19th century America. Urbanization also led to the transformation of advertisement. Newspapers like the
Bismarck Weekly Tribune,
The Tiffin Tribune, and the
Barton County Democrat displayed several ads for drugs, cures, potions and elixirs. These ads were not only absurd in their abilities but damaged the credibility of the professional pharmacist. In the
Bismarck Weekly Tribune, there was a Catarrh Cure claiming to have “saved him from death,” and Scott’s Emulsion Cure which claimed to “cure consumption, scrofula, bronchitis, coughs, colds, and wasting disease” for just one bottle of arbitrary ingredients. Scott’s Emulsion Cure was said to be “palatable as milk” in attempt to appeal to the audience. Drug Store Ads like the one in
The Tiffin Tribune, claimed to be “stocked with fresh and pure drugs, medicines, chemicals and dyestuffs” which gave some pharmacies an increased credibility but others like B&T Tonic Elixir and Liquid Extract of Beef which promised the delay of death and the prolonging of life were seen as magical. This increased availability to drugs and the abundance of drugstores allowed many in the city to have easy access to harmful and dangerous drugs. In the
Nineteenth Century Quest to End Addiction, the author describes that “drunkenness was an epidemic in the late 19th century” and as a result, one way for many city residents to make quick money was to create an illusory concoction that claimed to stop the urge to consume alcohol. In addition, the article,
Drug Use in American History wrote, “Edward M. Breecner describes the 19th century America as a drug fiend’s paradise,” because of the lack of regulations set by the American government on the quality of drugs sold in the city.
As Americans saw the declining quality of drugs, many called for reform.
Illinois Edu. describes that there was a new elevation of the practice that came with an “influx of new state affiliated pharmacies.” These “state affiliated” pharmacies were created to combat the phony ones that were opened by those who were coming to the city in hopes of starting fresh and making money the easiest way possible, which in the early 19th century happened to be opening a drugstore because one had “courage and capital.” An article published by
Illinois Edu., wrote that “delegates from various colleges of pharmacy set standards” for the types of drugs being sold to the public. Reform such as this prompted many states to reevaluate the standards for pharmacies and pharmacists practicing in their state. In addition,
Britannica explained the standards needed to be met to “fulfill the prescriber’s intentions,” pharmacists were to provide advice and information. They were also expected to “formulate, store, and provide correct dosage forms.” These new standards allowed for the pharmacy profession to gain more credibility and better their past reputation. Newspapers like
The Austin Weekly Statesman and the
Bismarck Weekly Tribune published Pharmacy Bills that were passed in their respective state or county.
The Austin Weekly Statesman’s Bill regulated the practice of pharmacy in the state of Texas, and could not be applied to “cities of less than 2000 residents.” Bills like those in
The Austin Weekly Statesman and the
Bismarck Weekly Tribune described that it was unlawful for anyone without the proper experience to dispense or run any kind of pharmacy store. They set standards for the qualification of a pharmacist and established “Boards of Pharmacy” for the state, in addition, these bills held qualified pharmacists responsible for the types of drugs being sold in their stores(
Bismarck Weekly Tribune). Each pharmacist would have to pass the Board’s test and “certificates of registration must be placed conspicuously in their house of business.”(
The Austin Weekly Statesman). These bills made way for a positive environment for pharmacists and their practice.
Pharmacy did undergo major changes during the 19th century in America as a result of urbanization. Much of this development was in the standardization of the practice and the study of the field. Though they did not take huge steps toward improving the drugs, they did take major leaps toward professionalizing the profession. These steps held pharmacists accountable and responsible for the quality of their products. The steps taken during the 19th century were essential to the future of the field and working to improve the quality. It wasn’t until the 20th century that pharmacists began improving the quality of the drugs and was only possible with set standards.
Illinois Edu.The Austin Weekly StatesmanBismarck Weekly TribuneThe Tiffin TribuneBarton County DemocratNineteenth Century Quest to End AddictionDrug Use in American History
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