Quinine Sulphas Apothecary Bottle Powers & Weightman, Philadelphia

Description

Quinine Sulphas Apothecary Bottle Powers & Weightman, Philadelphia

A classic Civil War–period apothecary bottle retaining its original cork and a substantial portion of its paper label, boldly reading “Quinine Sulphas” with an engraved factory vignette above and the imprint of Powers & Weightman, Manufacturing Chemists, Philadelphia below. The bottle still contains a visible quantity of its original quinine sulphate, an increasingly scarce survival as most examples were long ago emptied or compromised.

Quinine sulphate was one of the most critical medicinal compounds of the Civil War, widely issued and privately procured as a frontline treatment for malarial fevers, which incapacitated far more soldiers than combat. Derived from cinchona bark, it served as both a curative and preventative, particularly vital in the disease-prone camps and southern theaters where Union and Confederate forces alike struggled against endemic illness. Powers & Weightman stood among the foremost American chemical firms of the era, supplying large quantities of quinine and other essential drugs to the Union war effort.

The bottle itself remains in solid condition with typical wear to the label from age and handling, yet retains strong eye appeal with the factory scene still discernible. The presence of original contents and cork greatly enhances its desirability, offering a tangible and evocative link to Civil War medical practice.

Inventory Number: MED 335