MP-1989.15.81 | H. F. Jackson Drugstore, Ste. Catherine St., Montreal, QC, 1895
H. F. Jackson Drugstore, Ste. Catherine St., Montreal, QC, 1895
Anonyme - Anonymous
About 1895, 19th century
Silver salts on paper mounted on paper - Gelatin silver process
20 x 25 cm
Gift of Mrs. Isherwood
MP-1989.15.81
© McCord Museum
Description
Keywords:
Keys to History
The storefront of H. J. Jackson, druggist and chemist, is typical of the shops that offered patent remedies for sale. The sign at the left proclaims that the proprietor is not only an agent for Gray's famous red spruce gum syrup for fighting coughs and colds, but also the inventor of Jackson's antibilious treatment for liver ailments.
City drugstores carried all sorts of articles besides medicines, including garden seeds, dyes, perfumes and toiletries. Many also featured a soda fountain. And as photography grew in popularity, some druggists sold cameras and the various chemicals used in photo development.
This was the beginning of the shift towards today's large drugstore chains and their endless array of products.
Source : Cures and Quackery: The Rise of Patent Medicines [Web tour], by Denis Goulet, Université de Sherbrooke (see Links)
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What
Photo of the H. F. Jackson drugstore (photographer unknown). Note the advertisements for proprietary medicines made by Canadian druggist-chemists.
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Where
Located on St. Catherine Street in Montreal, this apparently thriving drugstore is a good example of how important the patent remedy trade had become.
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When
In the late 19th century, many druggists expanded and diversified their business to include a soda fountain, beauty products, gardening items and a slew of other things.
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Who
H. F. Jackson, like other druggists, prepared prescription medicines and sold readymade remedies. And like many of his colleagues, he manufactured and sold his own secret-formula medications.
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