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Druggists and Chemists
James S. Lushington
Lushington’s Medical Hall was located on the northwest corner of Dalhousie and Murray, operating from 1870 to 1895. It was run by James S. Lushington who dispensed cures and prescriptions to the townspeople, many of whom were likely Dr. Park’s patients.
C.M.S. Thomas’ Drugstore
C.M.S. Thomas owned and operated his own business manufacturing medication and dispensing his products. His business was built in 1883 at 67 Richmond Street, where the River Bookshop is located today. The bookshop has been restored in a fashion similar to the original architecture and preserves the history of the building with a Victorian-inspired interior.
Pill Making
As most medications were created from scratch by the individual dispensing the product, methods were found to make the process easier. One of these was a pill making machine.
The medications were created by mixing the necessary ingredients and adding a binding agent. The binding agent was similar to a syrup, giving the mixture a consistency similar to clay or a paste.
In some cases the pill had an unpleasant taste. A coating was applied to disguise the taste. However, it was later discovered that the coating made the pill undigestible! Later an alternate solution was discovered.
Below is an additional look at the Victorian pharmacy.