Quinine Sulphas Apothecary Bottle Powers & Weightman, Philadelphia

Description

Quinine Sulphas Apothecary Bottle Powers & Weightman, Philadelphia

Clear glass apothecary bottle retaining its original cork, bearing a pictorial label for quinine sulphate produced by the well-known Philadelphia firm of Powers & Weightman—one of the principal American refiners of quinine during the Civil War era. Quinine, derived from cinchona bark, was among the most critical medicines of the war, issued extensively to Union forces for the treatment of malaria, fevers, and general debility, particularly in the southern theaters where disease claimed more lives than combat.

Powers & Weightman played a significant role in supplying the Union war effort with quinine, especially as wartime shortages and Confederate blockades made the drug increasingly valuable. Bottles of this form represent the type of pharmaceutical container found in hospital stores, field chests, and regimental medical supplies. The survival of the original cork enhances the piece’s authenticity and presentation.

A strong Civil War–era medical display item tied directly to one of the most essential and widely used compounds of the conflict, and to a major Northern manufacturer deeply connected with wartime production.

Inventory Number: MED 332