History of Norwich Pharmacal Company - Part 3

Birth of an Industry - Norwich Pharmacal Company

Dr. Reuben Jeffery - written in 1916
 Published in Norwich Percolate, January 15, 1935

 

Continuation of posting of June 20, 2016

 

"In 1916, Dr. Reuben Jeffery wrote an historical sketch of the company -- this article is prized very highly by the executives of the company....it is..., with a great deal of pleasure, that we reprint Dr. Jeffery's article in this historical issue of the Percolate."

 

Late in 1892 while visiting in Norwich, I conferred with Bell and Norris regarding the possibility of producing Unguentine upon a commercial scale.  The difficulties in connection with the production of a presentable preparation seemed to be the only drawback.  However, Bell with his indomitable will resumed his experiments, but failing to accomplish satisfactory results he obtained permission from me to extend the pledge of secrecy to Mr. Stofer in order that the problem might be assigned to him; Bell saying "It's a splendid ointment, but no one can make the darned stuff so that it will be marketable."  As a result of Mr. Stofer's investigations and experiments the ointment was produced in a very satisfactory condition and in March, 1893, my first contract with the company was drawn by Howard D. Newton and on March 18th, 1893 we met at Mr. Newton's office and signed the contract, Bell and Norris signing for the company.  At this time I was practicing in Brooklyn.

 

In August of that year I came to Norwich and started the advertising campaign.  The company at that time had only one typewriter, consequently my letters to doctors were done with pen and ink.  September first I was obliged to return to my practice, and as the company desired me to continue my work, we made the following arrangements:  They would furnish me with a stenographer and a typewriter and pay her wages:  I was to furnish her with board and lodging. They sent to me Miss Phoebe Frink who is now Mrs. H.J. Burdick of Norwich.  She lived in my home long enough to demonstrate that there was a future for Unguentine and then returned to Norwich and continued her work. To Miss Frink I was indebted for many valuable suggestions.

 

About this time Merton L . Hunt began work for the company.  Mert came from Smyrna by train.  J.W., or rather Bill Hunt, blew down from Smyrna later and Chas., who is at present [in 1916] with the company, came "flying after".  Mr Bell introduced me to Mert,--Mert just looked and said nothing.  When he introduced me to Bill, Bill said "Howdy, how are all your friends in the country?"  In the spring of 1894 Mert was appointed New York manager for the company. The head quarters were at 87 South Ninth street, Brooklyn, my home.  Loaded with prescriptions calling for Unguentine from doctors that were friends of mine, we visited every drug store in the city.  We knew that they did not have Unguentine but we were trying to create a demand.  At last in a store on Court street we found a druggist who had it, and one ounce cost me forty cents. That was enough, we did not try it any more.  I would be a little timid about trying that experiment today unless I had a pocket full of money.

 

I have often been asked what the word "Unguentine" meant and how I happened to use it.  The Latin word for ointment in "Unguentum" and is used entirely by the medical profession to signify an ointment.  "Unguentine" was the first ointment ever put on the market as a pharmaceutical preparation.  Thirty years ago, dry surgical dressings or powders were used exclusively by the medical profession  In order that they would know by the name, the character of this remedy, in differentiation from the dressings then in vogue, I anglicized the word Unguentum by dropping the "um" and substituting "ine" thus making Unguentine.

 

According to my original contract, the company were to pay me twenty-five cents for every pound sold.  Oh treacherous memory!  Why can't I recall the trouble with my head, the day I changed the contract and reduced the amount of royalty per pound!  At first, Unguentine was marketed in one ounce wooden boxes and one pound glass jars with nickel tops. The wood box was "a beautiful package."  As a rule, when it reached its destination, it had all oozed out.  The glass jar was not so bad, it did not ooze, it only broke.

 

When the sales of Unguentine were about four or five hundred pounds a month, Bell said to me:  "Jeffery, if we can get the sales up to one hundred pounds a day, or three thousand pounds a month, we will have all the money we need."  I agreed with him.  It is many years now since the sales averaged three thousand pounds, but I little thought then that the day would ever come when the monthly sales would be enumerated by tons.

 

The expression "First Thought in Burns" that has for many years been associated with the name "Unguentine" was suggested by Dr. Harry Eaton of Brooklyn. Thirty years ago Dr. Eaton was famous as a writer of detective stories, writing under the non-de-plume of "Old Sleuth."  He graduated from the Long Island College Hospital in 1885 and was a classmate of mine.

 

To be continued