Walk back in time with us to an apothecary shop in 1854. Pharmacist Henry Lawrence has just hired a sixteen-year-old named Eli Lilly to apprentice at his drug store in Lafayette, Indiana, a bustling burg on the shores of the Wabash River. Wooden counters in the Main Street shop display mortars, pestles, rows of gleaming glass flasks, and ceramic apothecary jars. The glint of gold leaf and enamel on the containers hints of quality to the wary eyes of ailing consumers who enter this establishment in search of relief.

The contents of these jars changed over time, as did ownership of Mr. Lawrence’s shop, which was eventually purchased by “R. Schwegler & Bro.” Herbs, roots, minerals, oils, and other materials formulated into medicines by the pharmacist gradually gave way to “ethical drugs” prescribed by physicians. Most of today’s modern pharmaceutical companies were founded in the late nineteenth century—including that of Mr. Lawrence’s young apprentice. After serving in the Union army during the American Civil War, Colonel Eli Lilly founded the company that still bears his name. During this next-to-last year of the twentieth century, let us look back at the beginnings of modern pharmaceutical manufacturing, as summarized in this calendar.

Bioanalytical Systems, Inc. has sponsored the publication of historical calendars as part of a corporate outreach program to promote chemistry education. Calendars are provided at no charge to science teachers and other educators. Past subjects have included the history of electrochemistry and the history of chemistry. BAS manufactures products for chemical analysis, including electrochemical instruments, liquid chromatographs, microdialysis systems, veterinary ECG monitors, and clinical analyzers. The BAS Analytics division offers contract analytical services to the pharmaceutical industry.

This calendar would not have been produced without the generous contribution of information and historical photographs from the pharmaceutical companies described within.

Bioanalytical Systems, Inc.