While doing research in old newspapers from the 1880s, I often saw articles entitled ‘A Druggist’s Mistake.’ And these stories came from all over the United States.
Seeing it once in a while is concerning enough but seeing it weekly is alarming. And these weren’t little mistakes. People nearly died, were expected to die, or actually did die. These articles are all from 1884.
I had to know more.
How were these druggists trained?
Even though there were a few pharmacy colleges and training programs in the United States in the 1800s, the majority of training for a druggist was based on apprenticeship. Druggists-in-training usually learned their trade by working under the supervision of an established physician or druggist, for a period of around four years.
During this apprenticeship, they received hands-on experience and learned the compounding of medicines, practical chemistry, and the use of medicinal plants; modeling their methods after their instructor. (This information is from the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacies and the American Institute of the History of Pharmacy.)
Now I am not dissing people who were trained through apprenticeship. When I was a respiratory therapist, I worked with several respiratory therapists and cardiac techs who were trained on the job, and they knew what they were doing.
Druggist apprentices start training at 14 to 16 years of age
Yes. I said 14 to 16.
So by the time they were 18 to 20 years of age, they were free to hang up their own shingle as a druggist. That’s a little frightening, isn’t it, but I expect 18- to 20-year olds were more mature than those of that age now. At least I hope so. Also, there was no oversight whether the new druggist actually knew what he was doing nor a test for a druggist license of some kind.
Public outcry was nationwide
The public was all too aware of the problems with inadequately or poorly trained druggists. Stories in newspapers and in communities sparked public discussion and concern about the safety of dispensed medicines. Druggists who made these serious mistakes were often arrested and charged or sued by the deceased’s family.
Also, public debates and reform efforts helped expose the risk of patent medicines* and narcotic drugs widely sold by druggists without proper labeling or oversight. The lack of ingredient labeling and transparency, and the ever-growing awareness of tragic outcomes, led to the government to get involved in the early 1900s.
This says it all
An editorial comment in an 1884 newspaper said:
* Patent medicines were mass-marketed, over-the-counter “cure-alls” sold in the 18th–early 20th centuries, typically trademarked but not truly patented. They had ‘secret formulas’ and extravagant claims of eliminating many ailments. Think ‘snake oil.’
What do you find most troubling about what this article brings up?
Copyright © 2025 Nancy H. Vest All Rights Reserved
Photo of bottles from “Medicine Bottles” by AJP, Public Domain Dedication (CC0)
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